Never Be The Same
by writerbyboredom
Summary: When something so pure and beautiful crumbled right in front of your very own eyes, would you just watch and allow it to amount to nothing or will you do everything in your power to keep it from withering? Shizuru Fujino found herself in a crossroad of uncertainties where there seemed to be no right path to take.
1. Chapter 1

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise.

XXX

Chapter 1

It was a regular Monday morning when all of the students of Fuka Academy was still in dreamland, snuggling closer to the warmth of their soft pillows in an attempt to savor the remaining seconds of the weekend. Let us be real. Almost everyone hated Mondays. Well, almost but not all. Because the day had already began in one of the mansions in Garderobe Hills.

Garderobe Hills was subdivided into two implied hierarchy. The Uptown Garderobe which was an exclusive and high-end residential place for the rich and famous people in Japan. It was Japan's version of America's Beverly Hills. The residents were famous actors and actresses, politicians, and businessman. It was no surprise to see humongous mansions with gardens the size of a soccer field and swimming pools in weird shapes and designs. One of the residents' swimming pools was even filled with perfume instead of water. Why? Well, that was just a proof of those rich people's weirdness and extravagance. Everything in that area of Garderobe screamed luxury. Literally.

Then there was the Downtown Garderobe where other normal people who had decent livelihood such as small-scale businessmen, professional practitioners like lawyers and doctors, and the like lived. The place was the typical residential place with houses of two storeys. Everything in that area screamed simplicity and humility which was in contrast to the other end of Garderobe.

One of the residents of the Uptown Garderobe was the daughter of Japan's Prime Minister, Shizuru Fujino. She was a woman of grace and high upbringing. Eyes the color of blood, soft pink lips, rosy cheeks, long tawny mane which flowed down just in the middle of her petite back, fair complexion, and a skinny body devoid of unnecessary fats. Unlike any ordinary students of her age, she was wide awake long before her alarm clock hit six o'clock in the morning. She got up from the comfort of her queen-sized bed and started her usual morning routine. She was not required to be in the school ground until seven-thirty in the morning. She took a quick shower before bringing herself down the dining hall where the uniformed maids had just finished laying her breakfast on the elegant long dining table. Her breakfast mostly consisted of healthy food and nothing sugary in them.

Shizuru sat herself on the end of a twelve-seater table while her butler stood behind her. The man was wearing his usual attire which was black suit. He was a man of age and was serving the Fujino family for years that it will not be a wonder if he will take his last breath in the mansion.

"Good morning, Ojou-sama. I hope the meal is to your liking. Please inform me should you have anything in mind and I will inform our helpful chef to prepare them."

Shizuru flashed him a smile before arranging the table napkin on her lap. "Good morning, too, Akito-san. I believe there is no need for the bother." She started with her breakfast as the maids stood to her right in an array. For some commoners, the scene was quite awkward but never for a Shizuru Fujino who was used to the treatment ever since she had her first intake of oxygen.

It felt lonely being the only diner in the massive hall but she had no right to complain. Plus it was not as if complaining will get her anywhere. It was her fate and she had long resigned to it. Her parents were always away to fulfill their respective duty. Her mother was a businesswoman who always traveled abroad while her father was Japan's current Prime Minister. She was an only child for obvious reason. Her parents did not have much time for each other although, she knew that they were trying to always make themselves available during most of the important events in her life such as her birthday which the two never missed. So far.

"Your lift is ready, Ojou-sama." The butler informed when he noticed her removing the table napkin from her lap. It was his usual cue that they will be going to his ward's school.

XXX

Shizuru was wearing a cream colored blazer over her white undershirt. A red ribbon was secured around her neck. She was wearing black skirt which was above her knees and a pair of black socks which fell a little below her knees. A pair of black shoes was on her feet. A role model for an obedient student. A red arm band with the word "member" written on it was secured around her right arm. She was one of the members of the student council. Being a sophomore, that was the highest position that she can be elected to because the seats for higher positions were reserved for juniors and seniors who were more experienced in managing the school affairs.

She was looking at the school ground which was filled with students. Fuka Academy was the center of Garderobe Hills where children of both Uptown and Downtown parents were sent to. Ordinary students' uniform design was the same with the one worn by Shizuru except for the coat color which was black. Instead of red ribbon, they wore black tie and they also had the option to wear pants instead of skirt. Everyone had the option except that Shizuru preferred skirt over pants herself. She believed that wearing skirts was more lady-like than wearing trousers which in her opinion should be worn only by gentlemen. Just like any other schools, there were packs of snobbish rich privileged kids who didn't want to associate themselves with commoners. The same went for some commoners who didn't want to breathe the same air as the former. But there were also students who did not give a damn about social status.

The uniform was the same for everyone regardless of social status unless one was a student council member. The most obvious method used to determine one's status was their mode of transportation. The Uptowners usually came in sleek vehicles such as limousine, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani Huayra, Aston Martin One, Koenigsegg One, Mansory Vivere Bugatti Veyron and all others. While those Downtowners used bicycles, normal cars which can still travel the same distance and had the same speed with overpriced vehicles, and some even just walked to school. The extravagance was not true for all students though, because there are Uptowners who live like they were Downtowners but never the other way around.

The sleek black limousine that was carrying her abruptly stopped, causing her body to be thrown forward. She heard her driver let out an amused laugh before the man turned to her. Typical driver will be pissed as hell when someone suddenly blocked their way but it looked like she had a unique employee to say the least.

Akito turned his attention to his ward after blowing the car's horn in a not so gentle manner. "My apologies, Ojou-sama. Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Akito-san. What happened?" Shizuru tried straightening herself and gaining her balance again. They were already in the school ground where her butler, who also happened to be her personal driver, was just rounding the curve near a huge fountain.

"A young lady suddenly came across our path, Ojou-sama." Akito explained, looking at the very familiar figure.

"You can drop me here, Akito-san." She grabbed her satchel from the passenger's seat before starting to come out of the limousine. Her butler was already opening the door for her before she can open it herself.

"Have a pleasant day, Ojou-sama." Akito gave her a knowing smile. His eyes casted a quick glance to their little distraction who had not move a muscle from her position which was in front of their limousine. He was used to the intruder's surprises and as long as his ward did not give him any instruction to get rid of it, he had no heart to do anything. He himself believed that the little chaos in the form of a young lady was a good thing to spice up his ward's routinary and boring perfect life.

"All I am asking is a peaceful day, Akito-san. But I don't think that I will be having one today." She released a sigh and looked at the grinning figure a few steps away from her.

There straddling a bicycle was a young lady with long raven mane, green eyes, snow-white skin and a firm body typical for athletes. She was wearing black coat and trousers as her feet were planted on the ground to prevent herself from falling. She parked her bicycle a few inches away from the limousine's front and grinned at Shizuru who was shooting her cold glares.

"Perhaps giving in to her demand would make her stop. A short tea time with her might not hurt, Ojou-sama. We can even host it at the mansion should security be of concern to you. But then again, it is still up to you." Akito closed the passenger's door.

"I highly doubt that, Akito-san. That will only further encourage her." She glanced at the woman whose smile widened at her.

"I shall be taking my leave now, Ojou-sama. Inform me should you have an errand for me. Until then." He glided back inside the driver's seat.

Shizuru decided to face one of her _unfortunate encounters_ , as she termed it, and started striding towards the young lady who was straddling her bicycle.

"Perhaps Kuga-san would like to clear the way and allow Akito-san to proceed his way?" Shizuru slowed down near Natsuki before briskly walking towards the academy's direction.

Natsuki pedaled her bicycle and in just a few seconds, she was riding beside Shizuru. "Good morning, too, Your Majesty! What a lovely day to be graced by your presence once again." She halted her bicycle in front of Shizuru. "Breakfast?" She offered the sandwich held in her right hand towards Shizuru after fishing it out of her satchel which was strapped across her back.

"Thank you but I must refuse. I had taken my sustenance for the morning." Shizuru glanced at the sandwich, which was dripping with mayonnaise, in disgust. It was too early for one of her veins to pop in annoyance. Plus she should be seen by other students as someone who was graceful and calm.

"Your loss, then." Natsuki shrugged before biting into the sandwich. She looked like she just had a taste of the most exquisite food in the world. Her left hand was holding unto the bike's handle while her right hand was busy feeding her mouth. She continued circling Shizuru while riding her bike. "So, finally decided to go on a date with me today?"

"No." Shizuru hissed and glared at her. She had been hearing that question since day one and two more months of endurance awaited her before class will finally come to end. Natsuki can be so persistent in a not so good way and no matter how many times she rejected her, the woman did not seem to know when to give up.

"Tomorrow?" Natsuki rounded again, trying to keep the bicycle's distance so as not to bump into Shizuru who continued walking, ignoring her.

"No." Shizuru ignored her and continued walking faster.

Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's satchel from her hands and slung it over her shoulder. "The day after tomorrow?"

Shizuru halted in her steps and released an annoyed sigh. "Still no. It will be a no for eternity. No means no, Kuga-san."

"That hurts, your highness." Natsuki stopped in front of Shizuru and emerald orbs stared into crimson ones with emotion that Shizuru preferred to ignore.

For a moment Shizuru caught a glimpse of genuine hurt crossed the other's feature before it was covered with a grin.

"Natsuki! Hurry up. You'll be late for the meeting." A woman with fiery red head and well-endowed bust yelled from the entrance arc. She was wearing the same uniform with Natsuki except that her bottom consisted of skirts and not trousers. She was waiving her satchel in the air as she cupped her hand to serve as an amplifier.

"Shit! I forgot about that." Natsuki muttered under her breath before turning to Shizuru. "Gotta go before captain decides to drown my ass in the pool during practice later. Don't miss me too much, babe." She winked before giving back Shizuru's satchel.

"In your dreams." Shizuru grabbed her satchel back and her fists tightened around its handle.

"Oh, I always dream about you, Ojou-sama. Every single night. But I don't think you want to hear the details. They're not PG13." Natsuki smirked at Shizuru's reaction who almost wanted to chop her head off. She could see that the woman was urging every ounce of control in her body as to prevent herself from ruthlessly hitting Natsuki with her satchel. "See you later!" She waved her hands before pedaling away from Shizuru and going towards her captain's direction.

"I pray not." Shizuru silently uttered under her breath before she tried calming her raging nerves.

The woman always had a knack for annoying the hell out of her. Suffice it to say that Natsuki's daily routine consisted of pestering her every chance she got. Natsuki was a freshman which was a good thing for her because the probability of them sharing the same class is extremely low. Impossible even. For whatever reason, the freshman seemed to be attracted to her like a metal to a magnet. Being a sophomore and a member of the student council, she was tasked to give a quick tour for the freshman during the latter's first day in the academy. Shizuru wasn't quite surprise when the woman expressed her admiration on that same day because she was used to the occurrence. But what surprised her was the effort that she was spending in putting those words of admiration into action. Shizuru had a fair share of admirers and she surely did not need an additional fangirl who was more annoying than what she had in hand.

XXX

Author's Notes: You guys are so going to kill me this time for real. Believe me when I say that I have the ideas in my head but they just won't flow through my hands. In other words, I'm running out of words! This is worse than a writer's block. I know I have mentioned that I will not be writing any time soon because of my tight schedule but something just popped in my head when I was reading some stories. I kept skipping them without finishing because that was not what I wanted to read. So, here I am again, writing what I want to read. I don't know if that does even make any sense at all. Let me know your thoughts on this one ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 2

The student council room was in chaos as everyone was scampering around to do the last minute preparation for a senior's surprise birthday celebration. Being a sophomore, Shizuru was tasked with the decoration. She was perched on a ladder, trying to hang the banner, when a freshman accidentally hit the ladder's base causing her to lose her balance. She closed her eyes, anticipating for the impact that never came. She felt arms around her bended knees and shoulders instead.

"Never thought you'd fall that easily for me, Your Highness." A very familiar voice spoke, making her snapped her head up.

"Put me down." Shizuru demanded.

"How can I do that when you look this comfy, Your Highness?" Natsuki retorted, wiggling her eyebrows at Shizuru who did not realize that her arms were actually wrapped around Natsuki's neck securely.

"I do not have the time for this, Kuga-san. Put me down." Shizuru untangled her limbs from the freshman's neck.

"Say please." Natsuki smiled at the woman who appeared to be losing her patience.

"Please." Shizuru pleaded half-heartedly, wanting to roll her eyes but decided against it. She really had to finish what she was previously doing.

"Okay." Natsuki said mischievously before abruptly releasing Shizuru who yelped and immediately wrapped her arms back around Natsuki's neck in panic. She was just in time to catch the woman back. "Your body says otherwise, Your Highness. Are you sure you want me to put you down?" She grinned while holding the woman's body firmly, pulling her closer.

"Why would you—Nevermind, just put me down." Shizuru glared at her. "What are you doing?" She asked Natsuki who just carried her away from the ladder.

"Putting you down to your rightful place-" Natsuki looked at the unbelieving Shizuru as she strode towards a nearby table. Gently, she placed Shizuru on the table while planting both of her hands on it. Trapping the woman between her arms. "Your Highness." She looked into crimson orbs whose owner inched her face away.

"I would really appreciate if Kuga-san will step away so I may resume my task." Shizuru placed her hands on the freshman's shoulders to keep her at bay.

"Which task exactly, Your Highness? Showing off your lacy white panty to those perverts?" Natsuki squinted her eyes before tilting her head to a group of male students. She glared at them before turning her attention back to Shizuru. "Climbing on a ladder while wearing only a skimpy skirt. I wonder if Your Highness has been thinking at all." She said with a hint of disapproval.

"Those young men do not have the same thinking with Kuga-san." Shizuru retorted, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "I also do not see how this is of concern to you."

"Really, Your Highness? You really think so?" Natsuki removed her coat and covered Shizuru's exposed thighs. "At least wear knee-high socks next time, Your Highness." She sighed before turning around. "Just stay there. I'll finish hanging those for you. I don't want any more students to know what you are wearing underneath today. That's for my eyes only."

"Stop following me around." Shizuru replied to Natsuki's back as she secured the coat on her lap.

"You're welcome, Your Highness. Don't worry, even if you fall for a million times I will never get tired of catching you over and over again." Natsuki grinned at her before climbing up the ladder and resuming the task for her.

XXX

Just like how she was in-charge with the decoration for the surprise birthday party, Shizuru was also in-charge of cleaning them up. She assessed the ladder before turning around to check if anyone was still around. The words of the annoying freshman somehow got into her. This time though, no one was around to help her so, she was alone. Wanting to get over it, she climbed up the ladder and started removing the banners. When she was done removing the other end of the banner, she stepped down the ladder only to see a dreamy looking Natsuki occupying one of the desks in the room. Her palms cradled her head as she looked at Shizuru.

Shizuru suddenly became conscious and fixed her skirt although there was really nothing wrong with it. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you here?" Natsuki repeated.

"I asked the question first. Kuga-san should learn to respect her senior." Shizuru faced Natsuki who was still smiling like an idiot.

"I asked the question first. Kuga-san should learn to respect her senior." Natsuki echoed.

"You're unbelievable. You know what? Nevermind." Shizuru said before facing the ladder and started moving it to the other side. She positioned it on the other end of the banner. She stared at the ladder then at her skirt before glancing at Natsuki who was looking at her with an arched eyebrow. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she leaned on the chair as if waiting for Shizuru's next action.

"May I request Kuga-san to go out now, please." Shizuru turned to the freshman.

"Nope." Natsuki shook her head. "Don't want to."

"Fine, then." Shizuru turned around before getting on the ladder and taking one step at a time. She was a little conscious of her skirt. She heard Natsuki catcalled when she was halfway through the ladder which made her more conscious. "Can you please at least turn away?"

"I can but I won't." Natsuki stood up before slowly walking towards the perched Shizuru.

"Where do you think you are going?" Shizuru squinted her eyes at the approaching freshman.

"Getting a better view? Since I am in a private show, why not take the VIP seat?" Natsuki mocked as she leaned on the closest table. She crossed her arms around her stomach and Shizuru could swear that she can sense irritation in that voice.

Shizuru, having enough of the freshman's game, hurriedly stepped down the ladder and faced her. "What is wrong with you?!" She burst out, poking Natsuki's shoulder with her finger.

"What's wrong with me?" Natsuki retorted with a raised voice. "No, Your Highness." She shook her head, glaring at Shizuru and taking a step forward which caused the surprise woman to take a step backward. "What is wrong with you?" She took another step forward as Shizuru took another back. "Oh, wait. You actually think that nothing is wrong. Because the mighty Shizuru Fujino can do anything on her own. She does not need any help from anyone. At all. Because she is self-sufficient and can do everything and anything." She took another step and Shizuru found herself backed on the wall like a trapped animal. "Let us also not forget that she gives everyone the benefit of the doubt and thinks that they are innocent as a saint."

"Not everyone thinks dirty like you, Kuga-san." Shizuru almost hissed as she faced Natsuki heads on, not willing to back-out.

"Really?" Natsuki spun around before going to the opposite side of the room where a cabinet can be seen ajar. She yanked it away and a boy fell over with a camera on his hand. She recognized it as one of the three men she saw ogling Shizuru during the earlier preparation. Natsuki grabbed the camera and removed the SD card before breaking it in half.

"What do you think you're doing?" The man bellowed as he got up from the floor.

"Tch." Natsuki ignored him before dumping the camera on the floor and mercilessly stomping on it and destroying it in the process.

"Hey, that's the latest—" The boy cried but was halted by Natsuki's fists thrown at him. She gave him another series of punches before straightening up. "Leave before I decide otherwise. I'm sure you recognize who you were filming. Surely they won't mind even if I murder you right now."

The bleeding boy looked at the dumbfounded Shizuru before scampering away, leaving his damaged camera behind.

"You're right, Your Highness. They don't think like me." Natsuki said as she straightened up and heaved a breath. Her uniform was in disarray after all the beating. She faced Shizuru who seemed to be frozen. A look of surprise and guilt were evident on her face. "Because I will never do anything to harm you."

"Stop acting like I am your responsibility. You are not even my boyfriend. I hate to break this to you Kuga-san but I am not interested in women." Shizuru blurted out. Her confusion was channeled through anger instead. She did not like it when she felt something that was so foreign to her that she failed to recognize it. Shizuru hated not knowing and not having control of things. Most especially if it concerned her emotions.

Natsuki felt like the air was knocked out of her. How she wish that she was instead punched back by the pervert who went running away with his tail between his legs. Because by then, she will at least have a valid reason to falter. She cleared her throat before speaking. "I'll wait for you outside." She gave the sophomore a smile that did not even reach her eyes before letting herself out.

Shizuru just shook her head before resuming her task.

XXX

Natsuki was so engrossed with testing her strength against the flow of artificial waves as she took another lap of the 50 meter pool that she did not even notice her teammate calling her attention until the water in the pool calmed. The pool was equipped with a unique machine which can create artificial waves. This was used for strenuous endurance practices exclusive for swimming team members alone.

Natsuki noticed the change in the water behavior and decided to stop swimming. She removed her goggles to check what happened. "Captain, I'm not yet done here."

A freshman with fiery red hair was holding a whistle in her hand. By the looks of it, she was ready to leave the gymnasium. A sling bag was on her shoulder and a complete set of varsity jacket and pants were covering her body. "Natsuki, will you stop calling me that. I'm not the captain. The seniors might hear you."

"But you will be, Mai. Eventually. I'm sure of it." Natsuki answered back with confidence.

"Until then. But for now stop calling me captain, Natsuki." Mai lowered down the whistle which was secured around her neck. "Besides it's almost eight in the evening. You should be going home. Tomorrow is still a weekday, remember?"

"Just one more lap, Mai. Please. Promise I'll be out after this." Natsuki pleaded, bringing her hands together as if in prayer and gave her best puppy doe eyes to Mai.

"Fine. Just finish that lap." Mai gave in. "Just that lap, Natsuki. No more bargaining and I'll wait for you here." Mai went to a nearby bench and put down her bag.

"Thanks, Mai." Natsuki beamed before putting back her goggles and resumed swimming.

XXX

The two finally went out of the gymnasium and headed towards the academy's exit. Natsuki was wearing the same attire with Mai. Her sling bag which contained her school uniform was strapped on her right shoulder.

"Natsuki, are you sure you don't want to ride with me? I can ask someone to have your bike delivered to your home later." Mai offered when they reached the parking space for bicycles.

"Nah, I'm fine, Mai. It's out of the way anyway." Natsuki hopped on her bike, looking at Mai. Her emerald orbs caught a sight of someone behind Mai. "I'll see you tomorrow." She waved before pedaling towards that direction.

"Natsuki where are you go—" Mai started but wasn't able to finish because she was already out of Natsuki's earshot.

Mai walked towards a velvet colored limousine where a butler in crimson suit was waiting for her.

XXX

Shizuru was looking at the starry night sky above the academy as she waited for her ride to arrive. The night was peaceful and the wind was colder than it was during the day. A serene and contented smile was on her face. It was a refreshing sight after the long and exhausting student council meeting. The incumbent president was graduating so, necessary matters must be discussed in order to ensure smooth transition.

But this solitude was short-lived when a very familiar voice came from her right which was followed by the sound of bicycle approaching. "Beautiful isn't it?"

Shizuru closed her eyes and slowly released a breath before turning towards her peace's intruder. "Indeed." She replied shortly before focusing her attention forward. She held her satchel with both hands and calmly stood there.

"I was referring to you, Your Highness." Natsuki stopped her bicycle right in front of Shizuru. Her emerald orbs were looking directly into crimson orbs which faltered for a second before becoming serene once again. Natsuki's face was dangerously closed to her face that she could feel the freshman's breath on her face.

"It seems like the concept of personal space is unknown to Kuga-san." Shizuru said before taking a step backward.

Natsuki rounded Shizuru before once again leaning towards her. "Maybe Your Highness is right. Because from the moment I saw you, I think that no space was left here for me. Nothing is mine anymore. It belongs to you. It beats for you." Natsuki gestured to her heart and smiled at Shizuru. Her emerald orbs were twinkling brightly, putting the stars above to shame. She withdrew her body, pedaling around Shizuru again. "I may not know space Your Highness but I know universe? Do you know why? Because you are it. You are my universe."

"Will Kuga-san stop spewing nonsensical things please?" Shizuru said, trying to calm her heart which seemed to have risen to her throat. For a moment she thought that she was probably taught wrong of its accurate location in the human anatomy.

"But you are the only one that makes so much sense in my life, Your Highness." Natsuki stopped right in front of her once again and frowned at her. "You are the reason for my continued existence."

"Oh my God. Can you please just leave me alone?" Shizuru said with irritation.

"Nah uh. Can't do. Will not do." Natsuki shook her head. "I want to be Your Highness' loyal knight while she waits for the arrival of her royal carriage." She said with confidence. And as if to prove her point, she parked her bike beside Shizuru and posed like she was atop a mighty stallion.

"Can Kuga-san at least seal her mouth for the time being?" Shizuru massaged her forehead.

"Or you can seal it with a kiss, Your Highness." Natsuki pursed her lips before inching towards Shizuru.

Shizuru pushed Natsuki's face with her palm to avoid the contact. She did not expect what the freshman's next move was, though.

Natsuki suddenly reached for her wrist before flicking it and holding her hand instead. She placed a soft kiss on Shizuru's knuckles while looking at the surprised crimson orbs.

Shizuru abruptly withdrew her limb before turning her head to the side to hide her reddening cheeks.

Soon enough, a sleek black limousine skidded to a halt in front of them. Natsuki bent down to retrieve Shizuru's satchel which fell on the ground.

"Good evening, Ojou-sama. My apologies for making you wait." Akito said while opening the passengers' seat.

Shizuru cleared her throat before speaking. "No need for an apology, Akito-san."

Natsuki handed Shizuru her satchel. "I will never get tired of pursuing you, Your Highness." She whispered before stepping aside. "Please take care." She said in a louder voice this time.

Shizuru did not respond but just slid inside the vehicle.

Akito closed the door before facing Natsuki. "Thank you for keeping her accompanied, young lady. Please take care of yourself." He bowed slightly before going to the driver's seat.

Natsuki waved at the retreating vehicle before straddling her bicycle and pedaling away.

XXX

Author's Notes:

Why do I have a feeling that some of my readers are yet to move on from Memories fanfic that I wrote ages ago? If it will ease your heart, please do know that I don't plan on killing either of the main characters. Your support is overwhelming that I can feel the pressure on my end. Just a warning, though. This will not be as lengthy as Behind Reel. You guys actually have brilliant plots in mind. I'm overwhelmed by the suggestions and to be honest, they are quite influencing my idea of how this story will go. Don't be surprised if the story will flow just like how you expected it to. Although, I should also remind you that I love surprising my readers and stirring some emotions from them. Mostly anger and hatred toward the plot. Which eventually ended in me. Turning things upside-down is my thing as evidenced by my previous works. Thank you for your feedback. I also don't discriminate. I don't mind receiving nasty ones.


	3. Chapter 3

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 3

Shizuru was in search for another hiding abode as her previous one was once again discovered by her persistent pursuer. Her classroom, the student council room, rooftop, greenhouse, chapel, and even the teachers' lounge were out of the question. The freshman seemed to have a tracking device attached inside her without her knowing. Because no matter where she hid, Natsuki always had a way of finding her. With her bento box in hand, she strode to the east wing of the academy where everything seemed to be covered in green. She found arrays of cherry blossom trees and decided to get further into what seemed to be an undiscovered part of the academy. She weaved through huge and thick bushes and found herself in the middle of a garden. It was in a rectangular shape with tall and huge bushes surrounding it thus, making it a mystery to outsiders. If one would be deceived by the green intimidating wall that seemed to be a dead end, they will never discover this small paradise. She stood for a moment to admire the diverse fauna around her. She closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma around her. She allowed the wind to freely hit her immaculate face as her tawny mane was flown carelessly behind her. A smile graced her lips when she opened her eyes and found a Narra tree in the middle of the garden. It can provide her the desired shade to protect herself from the heat of the midday sun.

XXX

Natsuki perched herself atop a Narra tree's thick branch. When she was sure that the branch could hold her weight without finding her butt on the ground, she rested her back on its trunk. She was tired from looking for Shizuru. It seemed like she had ran out of luck on that day. Given that there was only thirty minutes left before break was over, she decided to just spend the rest of it taking a nap. A few seconds later, she heard soft footsteps approaching her location. Twigs were snapping. She opened her eyes and her smile widened upon the sight of her goddess enjoying the rush of the wind on her skin. She just watched in awe as Shizuru leisurely strode towards the tree before settling herself down. Natsuki noticed the woman's bento and for a moment she felt sorry for her. "I guess I can give her a break for now. I can't let her starve herself just so she can avoid me. One month is still a long time, right? I can still convince her to go on a date with me. Yes, Kuga. You can do it." She talked to no one in particular, remembering that class will be ending soon.

XXX

Shizuru was able to finish her lunch without much interruption. She still had ten minutes left before the bell will eventually ring to signal end of lunch break. She stood up and dusted herself off the unwanted dirt that might have clung to her skirt. She started walking to her left when she suddenly came face to face with an upside down Natsuki whose legs were secured on the branch.

"Hello, Your High—" Natsuki started with her earsplitting grin when Shizuru shrieked in an unlady-like manner before starting to hit her with the wrapped bento box she was carrying. Natsuki surely pushed the wrong button that time but hit just the right nerve.

"You! You are so impossible!" Shizuru kept on hitting Natsuki everywhere. "For God's sake, why can't you just leave me alone?! You insufferable woman!"

"Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Your Highness, stop. You're hurting me." Natsuki kept shielding herself from the woman's onslaught.

"Do I look like I care?" Shizuru kept hitting Natsuki with her bento box.

"Stop. I'm going to fall." Natsuki panicked as she felt her legs weakened.

"You brought this to yourself. Now prepare to suffer!" Shizuru retorted with blaring crimson orbs.

"Fine." Natsuki said before dropping herself down with ease causing Shizuru to take a step back and eventually lost her balance.

Natsuki was fast enough to catch Shizuru's body as gravity started to pull it down but she herself tripped on the protruding rock. Her emerald orbs bulged knowing what the outcome could be. Out of sheer panic, she twisted their body around causing Shizuru to fall on her instead of on the ground.

A soft thud was heard as their body hit the ground. Natsuki released a breath of relief before opening her eyes. She was welcomed with a pair of hostile crimson orbs looking at her with murderous intent. She blinked her eyes a few times before realizing that her hands were actually gripping both Shizuru's firm butt cheeks. Her skirt was ridden up hence, Natsuki's hands were almost in direct contact with her bum had it not only for the presence of white cotton panty.

"You pervert! Get your hands off me!" Shizuru yelled as she started pounding her fists on Natsuki.

"Hey! Hey! I didn't mean to." Natsuki defended herself as she crossed her arms over her face to shield herself from series of attacks.

"Liar!" Shizuru barked as she continued her attack.

"Stop!" Natsuki tried but her plead was in vain. Irritation getting the better of her, she gripped Shizuru's wrists and flipped the woman over. She put her weight on Shizuru to prevent her from struggling further. "Stop or I'm going to kiss you." She inched her face closed to the woman.

"You won't dare." Shizuru spat with squinting eyes full of warning.

"Oh I would, Your Highness." Natsuki's face hardened. As if to prove her point, she inched her face closer until she can feel the other woman's breath on her face. She glanced at Shizuru's lips before trailing her eyes back to her crimson orbs which dilated in panic. In a painstakingly slow motion, she lowered herself.

She was a breath away when Shizuru turned her face to the side to avoid the contact. "Please don't." She said, barely above a whisper.

Natsuki smirked before withdrawing herself. "I'm not that low, Your Highness." She said before completely distancing herself and standing up. "But that was quite effective to shut your beautiful mouth." She smiled before offering her hands to Shizuru. "Need help in getting up?"

"Not at all." Shizuru swatted the offered hands in a not so gentle way as she calmed her heart which seemed to be screaming its way out. "Get your filthy self away from me."

Natsuki just walked towards the discarded bento box and handed it over to Shizuru. "Breaktime will be over soon, Your Highness. You should return back to the main building."

Shizuru swatted the bento box away from Natsuki's hand, causing it to fly to the tree trunk and bounced back before falling on the ground. "Don't come anywhere near me again, Downtowner." She said coldly, staring right into Natsuki's emerald orbs which hardened for a second before it broke into a grin.

"Can't promise you that, Your Highness. This lowly downtowner needs her ass to be in the classroom before the bell rings. See you around!" Natsuki jogged towards the opposite direction where Shizuru came from.

Shizuru was left staring at the retreating back of the still energetic freshman. She blinked her eyes a few times before massaging her forehead. It seemed that no matter how much she pushed the woman away, she kept bouncing back to her like a yoyo. "Kami-sama, I cannot fathom what I did wrong in my previous lifetime to deserve this punishment of yours."

XXX

It was mid-afternoon break and Shizuru was on her way to the student council meeting when she noticed a very familiar figure entering the cafeteria. Wanting nothing to do with the woman, she continued her stride towards the administration building which was adjacent to the cafeteria. As she got closer she noticed a group of junior students walking towards the same entrance where Natsuki was entering. She recognized three of them as daughters of senators and two were sons of well-known business magnates.

XXX

A wicked smile appeared on one of the students' face. She gave her two companions a knowing look before gesturing her head towards the approaching freshman. "See what I am seeing, girls?"

Natsuki was too absorbed in thinking about her favorite mayo sandwich that she did not notice the group that she was about to collide with. Until she looked up and all the blood in her body seemed to left her. She visibly gulped at the faces in front of her. _"Uh. Uh. Retreat, Kuga. Retreat. This is a 911 emergency."_ She thought before sidestepping to let the group go on their merry way. But unfortunately, the juniors spread themselves in a straight line before soon bending their formation into an arc shape. That was when Natsuki realized that she was as good as a quivering lamb surrounded by hungry wolves.

The young lady in the middle purposely bumped Natsuki's shoulder with the frappe she was holding. "Hey, watch where you're going, Downtowner." She raised the drinks and took her time in pouring its content on Natsuki's uniform. She held the empty container in Natsuki's face before letting it fall on her feet. "Oh, there's _garbage_ on the floor. Mind cleaning it up, scholar? We're not paying for your tuition to do nothing after all."

"I'm seeing two garbage in front of me. Which one are you talking about? I doubt one can be cleaned though because it's completely trashed." One of the girls twirled her perfectly curled hair around her well-manicured fingers while looking Natsuki up and down like it was a very unpleasant sight.

"I'm sorry. I'll clean it up." Natsuki bowed slightly before picking up the empty cup.

The third lady in the group snatched the chocolate cake away from the hand of one of the men with them.

"Hey! I'm still eating that." The man whined before being shut down by the young lady's glare.

"You don't need fats in your body, Shiro-kun." She said, smiling wickedly at the man who just grumbled. "While this malnourished Downtowner might need a lot of it." She said before smacking the cake on Natsuki's white undershirt. "Advanced happy birthday."

"Out of our way, Downtowner. You'll stain our clothes." The young lady in the middle once again spoke before shoving Natsuki to the side.

The group went on while laughing at Natsuki's misfortune.

"The show is over, Your Majesties. I hope I humor you a little. Please carry on with your productive tasks." Natsuki bowed deeply to the other students who watched the earlier interaction with obvious interests.

Natsuki approached one of the cafeteria personnel who looked at her with sympathy. She shook her head and plastered her earsplitting grin. She tried her best imitation of the English accent. "One special sandwich with additional mayonnaise, please."

The old woman behind the counter just gave her an amused laugh before retrieving a packed sandwich which was obviously not part of the menu. "Go clean yourself at the back, you trouble magnet."

"Aye aye, Captain!" Natsuki saluted before going around the counter and entering the restricted area. "Thank you for the sandwich."

XXX

Shizuru felt a little tug at her heart upon witnessing the event. She might not have heard what the group of snotty juniors have said but she was intelligent enough to read their body language and she knew that their words weren't pleasant at all. Was the freshman immune to such treatment already that she just shrugged off the injustice done towards her?

Two other council members came hastily towards her.

"Fujino-san, we need to hurry. Meeting will start in two minutes." A timid young lady with brown hair and a pair of glasses perched on her nose slowed down beside her.

"Bubuzuke-onna, stop lazing around and move that lazy feet." A blonde woman with booming voice yelled after dashing past her.

"I was just on my way, Kikukawa-san, Suzushiro-san." Shizuru smiled at the two council members after releasing a breath to calm herself. She seemed to be doing that a little more often than she liked.

"Is everything alright, Fujino-san?" The timid voice inquired, looking at her with genuine worry.

"Everything is fine, Kikukawa-san. Shall we proceed?" Shizuru responded before starting to walk briskly towards the blonde council member whose arms were crossed over her stomach. A sign of evident impatience was on her face.

XXX

Classes had ended and Shizuru was on her way to the library, carrying loads of books that she herself believed was too much for one person to carry. She was tasked by the council president to return them to the library before the end of the day.

"Whoa! Your Highness, that's a whole library you have in your hand. Let me help you." Natsuki came rushing to her aid. She grabbed most of the books and left only three for Shizuru to carry.

"I can manage." Shizuru said indignantly, trying to get some of the books back.

"Surely, Your Highness." Natsuki said sarcastically before hurriedly getting inside the massive library. She walked towards the check-in section of the library where a woman in her mid-forties was sitting behind.

"I'm not weak, Ku-" Shizuru was about to retort but a librarian gave her a warning look. She just bowed her head a little in apology before following the freshman.

"Returning these, I guess?" Natsuki glanced at Shizuru.

"No, borrowing them." Shizuru answered, rolling her eyes.

"Sanada-san, books for check-out." Natsuki beamed at the familiar librarian before putting the books on the counter.

"Natsuki-chan, you should check them in first before you can borrow them again. I thought you already learned something from me." The librarian shook her head.

"No, Sanada-san. I am actually returning them. These were borrowed by the student council last Wednesday and are due for return today." Shizuru explained to the librarian.

"Oh, is that so Fujino-san. I will just request Natsuki-chan to check them in for you." The librarian answered before turning to Natsuki and her eyes widened at the state of Natsuki's uniform. "Natsuki-chan, what happened to your uniform?"

Natsuki just scratched the back of her head, giving a laugh. "Nothing much. Just a little accident, Sanada-san. Nothing to worry about."

"Did you forget to bring your spare uniforms again? I told you to bring three." The librarian reprimanded her in a motherly tone. She knew Natsuki's daily experience in school but there was not much that both of them can do to uplift the situation.

"This is my third set, Sanada-san." Natsuki replied, scratching her ears which earned her a sympathetic look from the older woman. "I'll just help Fujino-sama with these. You may leave now. Leave the bookworm vampire students in my care. I got my silver knife with me. No harm can be inflicted upon me by those bloodsuckers." She said to lighten the mood before retrieving a silver blade which was actually just a ballpen.

She was doing library works during the night as it was part of her obligation as a scholar. The school also catered to those nocturnal students who were more efficient at night time than during the day. They were similar to day students and nothing was really different about them except the time preference.

"Thank you, Natsuki-chan. There's a sandwich on your table from the cafeteria. Don't stay too late, alright." The librarian said before turning to Shizuru. "I will leave you to our student assistant's care, Fujino-san. Have a nice evening."

"Thank you, Sanada-san. Have a nice evening, too." Shizuru bowed before turning her attention back to Natsuki who was busy checking in the books while glancing at the desktop monitor in front of her. A wireless barcode scanner was held on her hand as she started doing her duty.

"You don't have to wait, Your Highness. I'll make sure to check in every one of these. You may go now." Natsuki smiled at Shizuru who seemed to be rooted on her feet. She looked like she wanted to say something but was having a second thought about it.

"If you're worried about the vampire thing. I was kidding. There's nothing to be worried about. Unless you want me to escort you to your ride? I will be more than willing to do so, Your Highness." Natsuki beamed at her once again.

"No need for that." Shizuru shook her head before looking at her feet and then looking back at Natsuki again.

Natsuki looked at her with curiosity before an idea popped in her head and her smile even grew wider. "Are you going to invite me out for a date? Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me right away?"

"No! That's not it!" Shizuru unknowingly raised her voice before realizing it. She looked around and was relieved that there were only few souls left inside the library. Fortunately, these few souls also did not mind her high volume at all. Class had ended long time ago after all.

"Oh, I thought you already decided to go on a date with me." Natsuki said with slight disappointment.

"I am just wondering about what happened to Kuga-san's uniform." Shizuru looked at Natsuki who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Things happen, Your Highness. Don't bother yourself with trivial matters. You have better things to do with your precious time. Don't waste it on talking to someone like me." Natsuki smiled before her stomach decided to intervene and grumbled loudly. "Why are you embarrassing me in front of this beautiful goddess? You are such a mood killer." She reprimanded her stomach like it was a human. "Excuse me while I feed my baby dragon before it decides to breathe out fire." She was about to turned when a student called her attention.

"Excuse me, Kuga-san. Can I ask for your help? I'm looking for this reference book." A nerdy-looking sophomore showed her the book title.

"Of course, Wang-sama. Please follow me to this section." Natsuki gestured her hand towards the left wing of the massive library. "I'm afraid I have to guide a lost soul, Your Highness. Please take care on your way home. See you on Monday." She flashed Shizuru a smile before urging the nerdy-looking student to follow her.

Shizuru just looked at Natsuki who was holding on to her stomach while explaining something to the student who seemed to be more than glad to hear the information. There was something at the pit of her stomach that she just couldn't give a name to. Shaking her head to dismiss the weird feeling, she turned on her heels and walked towards the library's exit.


	4. Chapter 4

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 4

A smile graced Shizuru's lips as she looked at the school grounds from the student council room on the 4th floor of the Administration Building. Cherry blossoms were starting to make their presence known once again as spring came. Every student was excited to get out of the school premises as it was the last day of class. If there was another month that everyone was anticipating aside from December, it was March. For this month marked the end of their stressful days in school and also the day of their freedom from all the hectic exams. One would think that Fuka Academy was a very lenient school given that it was an elite one where majority of its population consisted of privileged children of the rich and famous. But unfortunately, it was not. It was hell for those slackers and a challenge for those nerds.

Shizuru grabbed her satchel and proceeded to the school ground to wait for her ride home. "Finally. A month of solitude." She thought as she let her eyes scanned the pink-hued environment.

Her peace was soon disrupted by the very familiar sound of an approaching bicycle. "Not again." She muttered.

"Lovely afternoon, Your Highness!" Natsuki skidded to a halt in front of her. "Going home already?"

"Yes, Kuga-san." Shizuru replied with a small smile. Thinking that it will be the last day that she had to deal with the freshman's pestering.

"No wild party to attend to? I heard Ms. Pres is hosting one." Natsuki raised an eyebrow and tilted her head towards the sophomore's direction to get a better look.

"None at all, Kuga-san." Shizuru answered, not looking Natsuki in the eyes. "Besides I am not of legal age yet."

"You're seventeen." Natsuki stated.

"I am aware." Shizuru replied briefly.

"No you're not." Natsuki parked her bike in front of Shizuru. "You're not living, Your Highness."

"If Kuga-san's definition of living is getting wasted and doing things that will lead me to regrets afterwards then, I would rather not live." Shizuru finally looked at Natsuki.

Natsuki shook her head, obviously not agreeing to Shizuru's response. "You're so tight, Your Highness. Loosen up a little. It won't hurt."

"I have a decent way of making my life fruitful, Kuga-san. Your approval of it is unnecessary." Shizuru glanced at her before walking once again.

Natsuki got down from her bike and instead walked beside the sophomore who did not even bother hiding her slight annoyance. "Oh, let me guess. Tea ceremony, flower arrangement, piano lessons, art lessons, proper table manners, and basically everything to prepare you to become a fine young lady. Grooming you to be a responsible woman who will be given away to some asshole for the sake of political bullshits." She mocked while parking her bike.

"I do not see how this is of your concern, Kuga-san." Shizuru just gave the freshman an uninterested look.

"Oh, do they also train you how to properly bed your future husband? The sweet spots that you should keep in mind to give him the utmost pleasure that he deserves?" Natsuki taunted the sophomore further.

"The like of you will never understand so, why bother explaining?" Shizuru almost hissed.

Natsuki took a step towards Shizuru and gestured towards the academy. "Why bother with all these shits when you'll end up as a sex slave any-"

Natsuki was unable to finish her sentence when her face came in contact with Shizuru's harsh palm.

"Kuga-san should be wise enough to choose her words next time." Shizuru's eyes squinted at her in anger. Natsuki could swear that she saw steam coming out of her ears.

Natsuki just snorted and shook her head. She took another intimidating steps towards Shizuru who did not back down. She held Shizuru's hand and planted a kiss on her knuckles before beaming at her. Shizuru tried pulling her hand away but Natsuki held her wrist and pulled her closer instead. She wrapped her left arm around the woman's waist. "You're fucking sexy when you're mad." She stared into crimson orbs whose owner's cheeks flushed. Whether it was due to anger or embarrassment, Natsuki wasn't sure although the latter was very much appreciated.

"This is harassment, Kuga-san. Both verbal and physical." Shizuru tried pushing Natsuki with her left hand but failed miserably. She tried wiggling her way out but to no avail. Her limb ended up resting on Natsuki's shoulder instead.

"I know. At least I got you to show some emotions, Your Highness." Natsuki smiled at her.

Shizuru did not know what to feel exactly. She had these conflicting emotions at the pit of her stomach. Her legs were starting to feel like jelly that she was thankful Natsuki was holding her ground. Otherwise she might fall on her knees. She will never admit that, though. "We are causing a scene. Please let go of me."

Natsuki pulled her closer instead. Their insignificant height difference allowed her to rest her chin on the sophomore's shoulder. "It's going to be a long whole month. Don't miss me too, much." She whispered to the unmoving woman before withdrawing herself.

"Not happening, Kuga-san." Shizuru retorted as she took a step away and composed herself.

"Well, I still have two more years. Anything is possible, Your Highness. Who knows?" Natsuki walked to where her bike was parked but was halted when a black range rover skidded in front of her.

A woman in her early forties came out of the vehicle's driver seat. She was dressed in a comfortable black coat which hid her attire underneath. A pair of eyeglasses was perched on the bridge of her small nose. She fixed her long raven mane and started weaving her way towards the two young ladies.

Shizuru could see the tensed reaction of Natsuki. Her grip on her bicycle tightened. Her knuckles were turning white. She almost flinched with the idea of other object being at the mercy of that death grip. Surely, the freshman will shatter any fragile object. She could also feel the unfriendly aura emitting from Natsuki. It was a side that she had never seen.

"Natsuki, honey." The woman rushed to give Natsuki a warm hug but the young woman took a step back.

"What are you doing here?" Natsuki hissed, glaring at the woman.

"I wish to discuss some matters with you." Hurt was apparent on her voice but she composed herself.

"I'm not interested. Leave me alone." Natsuki clenched her teeth in fury before hurriedly getting on her bike and pedaling away.

The woman sighed and adjusted her eyeglasses. She pinched the bridge of her nose in dismay. She looked ahead and noticed that they actually had an audience.

Shizuru just stood there awkwardly as she held her satchel in front of her.

"I'm sorry you have to see that." The woman approached her and gave her a genuine smile. Shizuru was taken aback by her resemblance to Natsuki. Surely the woman was of age but she can't help but notice the emerald orbs that both women had in common. Not to mention the raven mane.

"No problem at all." Shizuru replied demurely.

"You must be my daughter's friend?" The woman asked unsurely.

"Not really –" Shizuru paused, not knowing what to call the older woman in front of her.

"Oh, I am sorry. Where are my manners? I am Saeko, young lady." The woman held out her hand.

"It is alright, Kuga-san. I am Fujino Shizuru." Shizuru took the offered hand with her right and smiled at the woman.

"Oh, I see." The woman replied with her mouth forming an "o". "You are the Prime Minister's daughter, are you not Shizuru-chan?" She inquired, noticing the resemblance. Well the Prime Minister's face was all over the news and internet.

"I am, Kuga-san." Shizuru smiled timidly.

"Actually, Shizuru-chan. I am Saeko Searrs." The woman gave her an unsure smile. "Regardless, I think I should be going. Have a productive school break ahead." She bade her farewell.

"Thank you, Searrs-san." Shizuru replied, without showing her obvious confusion at the woman's surname. "Please take care." She gently bowed at her.

XXX

Natsuki slammed the door shut behind her as she paced back and forth in aggravation. It didn't take long before another person walked in.

"Natsuki, honey." Saeko approached her daughter carefully. Seeing the young woman's distressed behavior and being aware of her temper problem, she knew better not to take the aggressive approach. "Please let me explain."

"Explain?" Natsuki looked at the elder woman incredulously like she had grown another head. "After years of being away, you suddenly popped out of nowhere and want to explain? Oh, I'm sorry if I wasn't too eager to finally meet you after abandoning us. I'm sure you did not expect me to be throwing a feast for your return."

"Honey, I understand you are mad at me. But if you will just give me the chance to explain myself."

Natsuki turned around in a defensive stand. "Then you should first understand that I don't want you anywhere near me anymore. I don't think any explanation will justify what you did to us."

The woman took a step back in surprise. After many years of not seeing her daughter, her heart was never prepared for her daughter's cold behavior towards her. "Natsuki, I am your mother. I cannot just leave you here on your own. You are only sixteen." She soothed.

"And now you suddenly want to be my mother? Unbelievable!" Natsuki threw her hands in the air.

Saeko slowly approached Natsuki and tried reaching for her arms. "Honey, you are being unreasonable."

"Don't touch me, woman." Natsuki yanked her arm away. "You left us in case you forgot! Dad died and you did not even have the decency to show your face in his burial. I was alone and scared but where were you? What kind of mother will do that to her daughter?"

"But I am here now, honey." Saeko looked at her daughter pleadingly. "Come with me."

"I needed a mother back then but now? I don't think so. I survived without you for three years and I will be fine even without you around. I don't need you."

Saeko closed her eyes and took a deep breath to stop the tears that threatened to fall down. She cannot afford to be weak in front of her daughter. Not until she had her point across. "Your father is not who you think he is."

Natsuki gave her an unbelieving look. "For Christ's sake! Now you're talking ill about a dead person."

Saeko shook her head before approaching her daughter. She reached for the woman's face. Although a bit hesitant, Natsuki did not push her away. "Honey, you don't understand. He was not-"

Before Saeko could even finish her sentence, Natsuki held her hands and slowly brought them down. "Don't. Just don't." She took a step back. "I don't want to hear any more bullshit that you're going to say about Dad."

Saeko released a frustrated sigh before chasing her daughter who was pacing with her hand on her head. "Then, come with me. Let me make it up to you."

"I can manage on my own. Thank you very much." Natsuki almost rolled her eyes before facing her mother.

"Natsuki, stop pushing me away. You don't have to live like this." Saeko gestured around. "I can give you a better life. You don't have to work while studying. Just please let me be a mother to you again." She begged at Natsuki. "Please stop rejecting my help."

Natsuki pointed to the door. "I'm done with you. Just go. Please."

Saeko's shoulder slumped in defeat. "I will not stop coming here until you decide to come with me."

"Stop wasting your time on me. Leave and never come back. Ever." Natsuki emphasized the door by pointing at it.

"You have a three-year-old little sister. She is excited to meet you, Natsuki." Saeko blurted out. She noticed Natsuki's expression softened. Taking her chance, she continued. "You always wanted one when you were in fifth grade. Please do not deny her of the right to meet her elder sister."

Natsuki took a step backward when realization hit her. "You cheated on Dad."

Saeko shook her head, not taking the accusation to heart. "I did not, Natsuki. If you will come with me, I can explain to you everything."

"You're disgusting. I wish it was you who died and not Dad. How could you do this to him? To us?" Natsuki fumed with clenched fists.

Saeko tried approaching her. "Natsuki you do not understand."

"I will never understand how you can cheat! I'm sorry but that is something beyond my average mind." She glared at her mother before coldly pointing to the door. "Please just go before I do something that both of us will regret." She ordered but the woman was rooted on her place. "Now!"

"Natsuki, I always think about you. I have never forgotten you. Not even for a second. I pray that someday you will give me the opportunity to clear things up with you. I love you. You are my precious daughter. Please always remember that. Take care of your self." Saeko gave her daughter a longing look before going to the door.

Natsuki waited for the door to finally close before releasing a breath that she was not aware she was holding. She went over to the refrigerator to grab something to drink just to calm herself. With a glass of water on hand, she proceeded to her living room. Suddenly, two gunshots were heard and Natsuki froze. The glass slid from her hand and shards of it were soon found on the floor. Natsuki's heart beat like it wanted to come out. The sound was too closed for her own liking. She could have sworn that it came from her front yard. "Don't tell me." She thought of something horrible happening to her unexpected visitor. Shaking her head, she ran towards her doorway. "It can't be. Oh, God. Please don't let it be what I am thinking." She yanked the door opened and all color washed off her face. She stood there with bulging emerald orbs.

XXX

Author's Notes:

What do you think happened? I think that you can guess. Or maybe not. Let me know your thoughts. I need to justify Natsuki's behavior for the succeeding chapters. It could get ugly but I don't have the heart to turn her into a complete monster. We'll see how this goes.


	5. Chapter 5

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 5

Without having any second thought, Natsuki dashed towards the woman who was lying on the pavement. "Mom!" She came to her mother's side and cradled her head. "Oh my God! Mom." She called as she looked down at her. Blood was oozing from her stomach and she was barely moving. Natsuki checked again for other wound and just then, she noticed blood started to seep through the woman's right chest. "Mom." Natsuki's tears flowed freely as she held her mother's head close to her chest. "Mom, wake up."

A weak blood-stained hand reached for her cheek and Natsuki looked at her mother through tears. "D-don't c-cry. It p-pains me to s-see you like-like thi-this." She smiled at her daughter.

"No, Mom. Please don't talk. I'll call for help." Natsuki tried searching her pockets for her phone but to no avail. "Shit. Mom, hold on. I'll get-"

Saeko slowly shook her head. "Y-you do-don't ha-have mu-much time, ho-honey." She forced out before the pain became apparent and her breathing became more labored. "S-stay."

"But Mom-" Natsuki protested as her eyes scanned in panic for any aid that might be available on hand.

"I am re-ally so-rry, Nat-suki." Saeko tried talking though she can feel her consciousness sliding off. "Pl-ease for-give m-me."

"Mom, please stop straining yourself." Natsuki begged as tears kept falling from her face.

"W-will y-ou for-give-" Saeko said in between coughs as blood started to spurt from her mouth. Her consciousness left her.

Natsuki panicked as she shook her mother's limp body. "Mom! No. Please no."

Two black SUVs pulled in her front yard and men in suit came rushing towards them.

Natsuki did not have the time to question the intruders' presence when she felt a syringe content being emptied on her neck. "Who are-" The last thing that she remembered was a man's frown directed at her.

XXX

Natsuki jolted up in panic. She blinked her eyes a few times to adjust to her surroundings. Her head was pounding like crazy that she had to keep her eyes closed for some seconds before opening them again. She was in her bedroom.

"Did I fell asleep without knowing?" She asked no one when she felt that she was still in her school uniform. She looked at her undershirt and that was when panic once again crept to her.

"Why am I wearing a t-shirt? I don't remember changing into it." She murmured before flashbacks of what happened came to her.

"Shit. How long was I out?" Her face turned to ash-color before whipping her head to her alarm clock. "It's 4:53AM. Wait. Mom."

She sprinted towards her front yard to check for any evidence of what happened. She lowered herself and touched the pavement which was squeaky cleaned.

"No. I can't be wrong. I'm sure my memory is not messed up. There should be blood in here." She stood up and checked her gate. "It is locked." She shook her head, not believing what she was seeing. "It can't be." She stood there with her eyebrows creased when she remembered something. "Kitchen."

She rushed to it and within minutes she was in the area between her kitchen and living room.

"There should be shards of glass here." She looked around but found nothing.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on?" She blurted out in frustration when she found nothing.

She checked her trash bin and found that it was empty. "No, I don't remember taking out the trashes."

She slumped on the kitchen counter with her clenched fists. "Someone's fucking with the evidence." She glared at the kitchen wall. "Wait. CCTV footages. It should still be working."

She rushed to her bedroom and strode to her walk-in-cabinet before pushing a hidden button. The cabinet opened and revealed a room full of screens. "Thank you, Dad. You're a savior." She breathed in relief when she noticed that it was still recording the live footage. She grabbed the wireless thin keyboard and began typing on it frenzily.

"It should be around six in the afternoon. Yesterday's date." She murmured while hitting the keys. Her eyes were glued to the screen when yesterday's event played.

"I wasn't imagining things." She blurted out with a little frustration. It would have been great if she was.

"Who are these bastards?" She zoomed the footage of the camera installed on her lawn. "Fuck. What did Mom get into? These are not Japanese people." She typed on her keyboard to match the men's features with their nationality. She looked to her left and an analysis was shown on the screen.

"Russians? What the hell? Was Mom in Russia all these time?" She accessed the CCTV installed on her gate. "I need the cars' plate number." She zoomed in and she almost wanted to go berserk when she found only two figures on them. "Fuck." She noticed the camera's frame was covered with leaves. Three-fourth of it hence, obscuring her view.

"Doesn't matter. The footage should be enough." She grabbed a USB and saved the video clips. "Now what to do? What to do? What to do?" She asked while tapping on the workstation table.

She released a long breath before standing and proceeding to where a phone was installed. "I guess I have no choice." She glanced at the receiver where a number was written with the word. _"Call this in case of emergency."_

She punched the number and soon enough, rings where heard. After two rings, someone picked up.

" _Natsuki, what happened?"_ The person asked in haste. Sound of clothes were heard. Cabinets were being opened in a not so gentle way.

Natsuki was taken aback by the response. "Whoa. How do you know me?"

" _I'm your father's friend, Natsuki. This line is private and only him knew this number. Now tell me what happened."_ The person who was obviously a woman answered.

"Mom came and-" Natsuki began but was halted by the woman.

" _Hold that thought. I'll be at your place in thirty-minutes. Don't go out."_ The woman ordered sternly. Natsuki heard an engine being started.

"You know my address?" Natsuki asked in surprise.

" _I know a lot of things, Natsuki. Do as I say."_ The woman then ended the call.

She returned the receiver and blinked at the wall. "What the fuck is happening now?"

XXX

Natsuki waited at her living room. Her foot was tapping the floor as she glanced at her laptop on the coffee table. The USB was plugged into it. She glanced at the clock and noticed that it was only twenty-two minutes since she spoke to the mysterious woman. She stood up, not able to feel at ease at all. Things were getting to her and no matter how she tried thinking of the probable reasons behind what was happening, she always came up blank. Like a huge wall full of mysteries and unknown was blocking her from seeing the truth. "God. I hope she has the answers to all of these."

She heard knocks on her door and hurried to it. "How did you get past the gate?" She asked in puzzlement.

The gate was installed with high-end security system. The only reason her mother was able to pass through was because she knew how to open it. And the only probable explanation that those men were able to enter was because her mother probable forgot to close it.

"I'm you father's friend, Natsuki." The woman explained as she let herself in. Another woman followed her in tow. "I'm detective Sugiura Midori and this is agent Senoh Aoi."

The woman bowed demurely. "I would have to say pleasure to meet you but given your situation, I don't think it is proper."

"It's alright, Senoh-san." Natsuki had to take a look because the woman looked so fragile that she would qualify as an innocent civilian rather than someone who go against criminals.

"Let's get down to business, Natsuki." Detective Sugiura proceeded to the living room where a laptop was installed.

"I think it's better if I will just let you watch the footage." Natsuki cleared her throat before retrieving the laptop.

"Wait. Your internet connection is on, right?" Detective Sugiura asked.

"Yeah?" Natsuki answered unsurely.

"Turn it off. We don't want anyone hacking into your computer. I have a personalized VPN here to protect your files and IP address from being hacked and detected." Detective Sugiura tossed her the small device the size of a portable USB drive.

"Okay." Natsuki answered shortly before doing what was instructed. She played the footages to the officers who even refused to sit down.

XXX

"So?" Natsuki asked when the two women seemed to be in deep thoughts. The video ended up five minutes ago but none of them spoke a word.

Detective Sugiura pinched the bridge of her nose before clearing her throat. She sat down on the sofa opposite Natsuki. Her companion followed suit. She looked Natsuki dead in the eyes. "You're not doing anything." She started.

"What?!" Natsuki sprung to her feet with her hands clenched into a ball.

"Sit your ass down, Natsuki." Detective Sugiura demanded. "I will handle this case _privately_. You will go to school like you always do and-"

"You want me to act like this did not happen? Were you even watching the video? That was my Mom who was shot and kidnapped. Who knows if she is even alive and not being tortured to death as we speak right now." Natsuki fumed.

"And what could you do to help the situation? You are still a child and not even of legal age. I doubt you can even take care of yourself. I'm sure you can't even bring down a hormonal teenager when he hit on you." Detective Sugiura challenged.

"You're fucking wrong!" Natsuki rampage before trying to attack the detective who just looked at her threat with the least of interest.

Natsuki was about to throw punches when the silent agent sprang into action and pacified her with ease. It was true that her father had taught her self defense but it seemed like it was no help for her at the moment. She found her arms behind her as the woman kneed her back.

"That's a child play, Natsuki-chan. You won't be able to bring down a grown-up man with these moves and weak force." Agent Senoh smiled at her like she was talking to a child. No insult nor anger was found on her voice. It was as if they were just casually talking about the weather.

"Who are you calling a child?" Natsuki stubbornly asked before smirking. She gathered all her strength before using the back of her head to head butt the woman behind her. She was released by the agent who yelped in pain. She smiled when she saw blood was dripping on her nose. She turned around to confront the detective who just raised an eyebrow at her.

But before she can proceed, she found herself being flipped in the air before landing on the sofa. A wait was pressed on her back as her arms were once again tied behind her. "Rule number 1. Never turn your back on your enemy unless you are sure that it is dead." Agent Senoh said with mirth on her voice.

"Get off me!" Natsuki wiggled which caused the detective to burst out in laughter. "What's funny?"

"Nothing." Detective Sugiura wiped the tears from her eyes before composing herself. "I forgot to introduce you to your new guardian. Natsuki-chan, meet Agent Senoh Aoi your new guardian. Aoi, meet your ward, Kuga Natsuki."

"No way! I don't need a babysitter." Natsuki retorted, glaring at the detective who dismissed her with a wave of hand.

"Would you rather live in a childcare institution, then? Do you want to be one of Hiroo Friends' alumna?" Detective Sugiura asked, referencing to an elite orphanage in Japan. Natsuki looked like a kicked puppy. "I thought so."

"But I was fine even without them around." Natsuki mumbled to herself.

"That's thanks to your mother for pulling some strings. Now is a different story, though." Detective Sugiura sighed.

Agent Senoh released her and sat calmly on her side. "I hope we can get along well."

"Whatever." Natsuki huffed, crossing her arms in defiance.

Detective Sugiura retrieved the laptop and tapped a few keys before pulling the USB and the VPN from Natsuki's laptop. "I will take care of this. I will give you updates as soon as I have lead. For now, Agent Senoh will take care of you. Don't do anything stupid, child." She said with all seriousness in her voice.

"Don't worry about her, Midori-san. I will keep my eyes on her." Agent Senoh smiled warmly at Natsuki.

Detective Sugiura made her way to the door.

"Do you think that Mom is still alive?" Natsuki asked the woman beside her without removing her eyes from the closing door.

Agent Senoh closed the distance between them and gathered Natsuki in her arms. Natsuki wasn't expecting the gesture but soon welcome it. The woman was really a walking ball of calmness and warmth.

"Our concern is on the ones who shot her. The one who took her might not have any ill intention at all. You have seen how they tried to save her on the footage. They just do not want your involvement in it." Agent Senoh explained.

"But why?" Natsuki asked the question that kept nagging her since she saw the footage. It was true that her mother was kidnapped but what the footage showed was anything but harsh treatment.

Agent Senoh shook her head. "That is something that I also do not know, Natsuki. I don't recognize those men and I also do not know their intentions. Let us pray to God that they are not one of the bad men in this case."

Natsuki's tears kept running down her face no matter how much she willed them not to.

"You should rest." Agent Senoh advised.

"I can't. Not until I know that Mom is sa-" Natsuki started but was halted by the prick on her neck. "You tricked me." She uttered before her eyes shut.

"Goodnight, Natsuki-chan. I am sorry but I do not believe that overthinking will do you any good." Agent Senoh whispered as she adjusted Natsuki in her arms and carried her up to her bedroom.

XXX

"She is really your daughter, Saeko-sama." Agent Senoh smiled at the thought as she looked at the serene feature of a sleeping Natsuki on the bed. "I understand why you had to break the agreement to see her. You are still a mother after all."

A sad expression was plastered on her face before shaking it off. She held the door before slowly and silently closing it. Even though Natsuki will remain asleep for a couple more hours even if a heavy metal band will play music directly beside her.

XXX

Author's Notes:

Next chapter will be about Shizuru.


	6. Chapter 6

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 6

Shizuru was browsing her e-mails on her iPad, looking for any important ones from her father which she might have overlooked. Yes, anything important was sent via e-mail in order for her to not miss anything. Her father believed that it was better than phone call conversations since there will be e-mail trails that can be retrieved when the need arises.

"It looks like everything has been taken care of." She muttered to herself when she checked her calendar.

She noticed that none of the days was left free. Her break from school did not give her any time to slack around. She was too engrossed with checking her schedule that she did not even notice the silent clicking of the heels approaching her. She frowned when the iPad suddenly disappeared from her hands. She looked at her empty hand before slowly turning her head to her left.

"Mama?" She asked with confusion and surprise apparent in her feature.

The woman tossed the iPad aside carelessly and looked at her daughter with a genuine smile. Her brown orbs were twinkling in glee as she looked at the most precious possession she had. She squealed like a teenager before engulfing her surprised daughter in her warmth. "I miss you, baby."

"Mama, what are you doing here?" Shizuru asked, not believing what she was seeing.

She felt her mother's soft auburn hair on the side of her face and inhaled her calming scent. Her mother was in her late thirties but the woman knew how to take care of herself that she did not look closed to her age.

The woman squeezed her like she had not seen her for years. Shizuru feared that air had escaped her and suffocation might be imminent.

The woman finally released her and held her on arm's length, still not losing physical contact with her. "Did my baby not miss me?" She pouted and feigned hurt as she looked at her daughter's face.

Shizuru looked at her mother in bewilderment when her eyes started to get watery. "Of course, yes. Mama, I miss you, too."

At the blink of an eye, the woman's mood shifted. She flashed a smile which reached her twinkling eyes. No trace of tears or sadness was left.

"Aww, baby I love you." She looked at her daughter and noticed the eyeglasses she was wearing. "Stop wearing this. I do not want my baby to look old and grumpy." She tossed the accessory aside like it had offended her gravely.

Shizuru tried reaching for it but she was too late. "But Mama I need that for reading." She protested.

The woman inhaled deeply like a bad news was just delivered to her. She reached for her daughter's face and cupped her face with both hands. "Are my baby's eyes starting to get bad?"

She examined the crimson orbs that she loved so much. She loved those pair because it was possessed by two of the most important persons in her life. Her husband and her only daughter.

Shizuru held her mother's hands before slowly bringing them down. She shook her head. "No, Mama. It is a reading glasses with anti-radiation. My vision is still twenty-twenty."

Her mother released a breath of relief. "Thank God!" She blurted out before holding her daughter's hands in hers. "So, what does my baby want to do this school break?"

"Mama, Otou-sama was kind enough to arrange my schedule." Shizuru smiled at her mother who looked at her like she had grown another head.

"Oh, no no. That is a big no. I am not letting you do all those boring stuffs, baby. You did them last year and I am not going to let you waste your time on them again. You are a fine young lady, baby. I do not want you to look like a grumpy and boring old woman." She held her daughter's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I want you live like your age. Explore. Travel the world. Go to concerts. Go to bars. Make mistakes. Do whatever makes this beat fast." She lightly poked her daughter's left chest.

"But Mama I do not want to burden Otou-sama with unnecessary worry." Shizuru protested.

Her mother shook her head. "No, baby. This is your life. I will handle that old man. Do not worry about him." She reassured her, gently squeezing her shoulder. "So, how does a European tour sound?"

"But Mama-" Shizuru protested but her mother raised her hand to stop her.

"No more buts. I am not taking no for an answer, baby. People will not recognize you in Europe. I will take care of your security and safety. Also, I will be with you during the entire tour." She finished, waiting for her daughter's reaction.

Shizuru's eyes brightened like she had just heard the greatest news of the year. "Really, Mama? You will come with me? Truly?" She asked, not believing what she just heard.

"Really, baby." Her mother nodded in amusement.

"Thank you, Mama." Shizuru wasted no time and hugged her mother tightly in delight. "Thank you so much, Mama. I love you."

"Anything for my lovely daughter. You are my world, baby. You know that, right?" Her mother held her head and caressed it.

"I know, Mama." Shizuru released her mother and looked her in the eyes. "I know."

"Good." Her mother smiled at her before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

A servant in uniform came and laid some refreshments on the coffee table in front of her.

"Thank you." Shizuru's mother smiled at the young maiden before reaching for a tea cup.

The maidservant just gave a low bow before leaving her two mistresses.

The woman savored its taste before glancing at her daughter who was also sipping her tea. "So any love interest that your mother should be aware of, baby?"

Shizuru almost choked on her tea. She distanced the tea cup from her and looked at her mother while blinking. An image of a persistent freshman flashed in her memory. She shook her head to dismiss the thought. She cleared her throat before speaking. "None, Mama."

Her mother just looked at her, not convinced. "Are you sure, baby? No handsome gentleman? Not even one?"

"I am certain, Mama. A hundred percent." Shizuru smiled before reaching for her cup and gulping a larger volume than she needed to.

" _Why is my heart behaving like this?"_ She thought while trying to discretely calm her heart.

"If you say so, baby." Her mother smiled before taking her own cup.

Akito came with files in his hands. He bowed while addressing the elder house's mistress. "Fujino-sama, apologies for interrupting. Should I bring these files to your study or to the library?"

"Can I have one file, please?" The woman retrieved the topmost folder to check the files. She opened it and a paper slipped and landed on the table.

Shizuru's orbs caught the sight of Natsuki's face printed on the whole face of an A4 and involuntarily spurted the tea.

Her mother immediately turned her attention towards her daughter. "Are you alright, baby?" She called but Shizuru's focus was on the paper. She glanced at the picture before looking back at her flustered daughter's face. "Baby?" She called once again.

Shizuru raised her head and came in direct contact with Akito who gave her a knowing smile like he was teasing her. This made her blushed in crimson. She ignored him and instead turned to her mother. "Yes, Mama. I am fine."

Her mother raised an intrigued eyebrow before slowly retrieving the picture on the table. She examined it closely before tilting her head to her daughter in curiosity. "Does my baby have anything to tell me?" She held the picture and showed it to her daughter.

Shizuru composed herself and instead looked at the coffee table. She found it interesting all of a sudden. "None at all, Mama."

"Hmnn." Her mother hummed with her pursed lips. She turned to Akito and spoke to him. "Isn't she a lovely lady, Akito-san?"

Shizuru's attention snapped to her butler who smiled timidly. Not before giving her a teasing glance. "Indeed, Fujino-sama. The young lady has –" He paused, looking for a more fitting word. "an interesting personality. My opinion is based on my encounters with her, Fujino-sama." He finished.

"Do you not share the same opinion with us, baby?" Her mother held the paper and let it dangled beside her. She gave her a teasing smile.

Shizuru blushed and reached for her cup again but it was empty. She almost groaned before putting it back on the coffee table. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Her mother arched an eyebrow at her. She looked at the picture again before a naughty idea popped in her beautiful mind. "Do you think you can invite her over, baby?"

"Oh my God, Mama." Shizuru blurted out before standing up and leaving her mother.

Her mother just let out a hearty laugh and giggled. "Where are you going, baby?"

Shizuru halted her steps at the foot of the grand stairs. "I am going to start packing up."

"Are you not going to introduce your mother to her future daughter-in-law?" Her mother called. Still in a teasing tone.

"Mama, I am not interested in her." Shizuru almost glared before hurriedly resuming her ascend. "I am straight."

Her mother ignored her retort and just laughed. "How about you invite her to come with us, baby?"

"Mama!" Shizuru blurted out with obvious frustration before completely ignoring her mother.

The woman was left shaking her head in amusement. "Isn't that an interesting reaction from my daughter, Akito-san?"

The butler just nodded at her with his hands still full of files.

She returned the A4 paper inside the folder before handing it back to the old man. "Please leave them in my study. I need to review their performance as part of the scholarship grant procedure."

"As you wish, Fujino-sama." The butler bowed before leaving her.

The Fujino mansion's mistress glanced at the direction where her daughter had disappeared to. "My baby is grown-up now."

XXX

Shizuru glanced at her packed luggage and checked for other necessities that she might be needing in their European tour. She decided to bring a single luggage bag. Knowing her mother, she knew that they will just end up doing a shopping spree. Why bother bringing extra weight when she will not even be using them?

"I should probably call it a day. I still need wake-up by four in the morning." She uttered before going towards her king-sized bed's direction. She can feel her tired body craved for the soft and warm comfort of it.

Her attention shifted to her balcony when a loud opening of its door was heard. She gasped at the familiar figure standing under its arc. The lights were still on so, she can see her with clarity.

"How did you get inside, Kuga-san?" She blurted out as she stood up. A scorn started to appear on her face.

There was no way in hell for anyone to pass through their tight security. Add the height of her balcony from the ground. Anyone will think twice before even trying to climb up. That is if they were able to come out alive from the guard dogs below.

The freshman just continued walking towards her without saying a word. Shizuru regarded her and noticed that she was yet to change from her uniform. For some reasons, she found her sexy in their uniform. Her coat was being flown away, exposing her button up undershirt. A few of its buttons were undone.

"What are you doing here?" Shizuru cleared her throat when she noticed the freshman's eyes started to roam around her body. She was obviously checking her out.

She noticed how the freshman looked at her. Starting from her legs before slowly traveling up and ended staring right into her crimson orbs. She did this while approaching Shizuru like a predator to its innocent prey.

Natsuki gave her a satisfied smile before flashing her a sexy smirk that made Shizuru's breath hitched.

Shizuru wrapped her see-through purple robe around her body. She was only wearing a black lacy camisole inside. She became conscious of her lack of clothing under those intimidating gaze.

"Do not come further." Shizuru ordered when Natsuki stopped two steps away from her.

But Natsuki did not heed her and took another step, making her take another one back. Shizuru felt her back hit the soft cushion behind her. Her tawny mane spread behind her. Her legs were parted helplessly.

Natsuki slowly lowered herself and leaned her arms on the bed beside Shizuru's head. She squeezed herself between Shizuru's legs.

Shizuru felt like her heart leaped from her ribcage and dived straight from her balcony to the ground. Its beating was deafening. She felt the temperature around the room started to rise as their bodies got closer to each other.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, unknowingly.

Natsuki's face was still a good distance from her face. The freshman once again roamed her eyes over her body. Shizuru's robe was untangled, exposing her flesh. Although it was doing nothing in hiding her body in the first place, she still felt more exposed. Add the fact that her camisole had ridden up and exposed her long slender thigh and her lacy underwear.

Natsuki lowered herself and closed the distance between their body. She pressed on Shizuru's lower body, causing the woman to stiffen. She just looked deeper into crimson orbs as if searching for something in them.

Shizuru felt a shiver ran down her spine and goosebumps all over her body. She can feel the body heat emitted by the freshman above her despite her state of being fully covered. An unfamiliar sensation was starting to form between her legs. Her stomach felt like a million butterflies were rampaging inside. She placed both her hands on Natsuki's shoulder, not knowing what to do. "Stop."

Natsuki paused when her face was only an inch away from Shizuru. She glanced at her trembling lips before looking up and settled on the woman's eyes instead.

Shizuru felt the woman's tickling breath on her face. Unconsciously, her attention shifted to her lips. It was so full and naturally colored in red. She knew that no lipstick was painted on it. She never got so interested and curious about this body part not until that very moment. She stared at them like she wanted to know its mysteries. She suddenly felt this unknown hunger inside her. She looked at her hands and noticed them trembling. What surprised her the most was to notice them holding the sides of Natsuki's collar like she was not letting the woman to escape.

Natsuki lips turned into a sexy smirk.

" _What is going on?"_ Shizuru thought when her body started to act involuntary.

In a slow motion, she saw herself pulling Natsuki towards her before the pace became normal again. A feather like texture came in contact with her parting lips. She felt an overwhelming hunger inside her. She felt like she had been asleep for years without any food at all. She felt starved. But obviously not for food. It was like a new need had awakened inside her. Hungrily, she captured the most addicting lips that she had ever tasted. She wanted to explore this unfamiliar cavern.

Natsuki had to bend her arms to accommodate the woman. Shizuru wrapped her arms around her neck and pulled her closer. Natsuki added more pressure on her lower body, eliciting a more aggressive reaction from the woman beneath her.

Shizuru did not know what she was doing nor was she aware of what she should be doing. She just allowed her body to do whatever it wanted. Her rational mind was long forgotten as the carnal desire dominated her.

She felt Natsuki's tongue poked inside mouth. She moaned when it successfully entered her. The woman was dominating her and she was just allowing it. She closed her eyes and felt the soft muscle entered her mouth. As if finally recognizing its rhythm, her tongue started to do the same. She almost smiled when she heard a moan escaped from the woman above her. For it was her tongue that started to explore the woman's mouth. Just when she had dominated the deep passionate kiss that they were sharing, she felt Natsuki slowly grinded their lower parts together.

A burning sensation had formed between her legs, making her unconsciously spread it further. She broke the kiss and held unto Natsuki's coat instead. Her swollen lips were parted as she tried to catch some air. Another moan escaped both of them when Natsuki started to hungrily devour her neck. She felt the woman's lips on her neck and her mouth started to travel down the valley between Shizuru's mounds.

Shizuru was burning from the unknown heat. She arched towards Natsuki's hungry mouth when the latter played with her perched and hardened covered nipple.

Natsuki nipped her left nipple which was devoid of any bra. While her right hand was fumbling with Shizuru's right breast.

Shizuru's sanity was slowly slipping away with the overwhelming sensation she was feeling. Natsuki shifted her mouth's attention to her right breast while her hand played with her already sensitive left breast. She tangled her hands on Natsuki's mane as she pushed herself further to her mouth.

Natsuki traveled downwards to Shizuru's exposed stomach. It tightened when her lips came in contact with it.

Shizuru could not hold it any longer and she pulled Natsuki's head up before devouring her lips once again. Her hands started to explore the woman's body, searching for something she did not even know what. She almost groaned when she felt clothes getting in the way. "Take these off." She broke the kiss and yanked Natsuki's coat before tossing it away.

Natsuki guided her to a sitting position before discarding Shizuru's robe and her camisole. Her darkened emerald orbs looked at the smooth flesh in front of her. She gave a satisfied smile when she noticed the kiss marks on Shizuru's neck.

Shizuru sat there with her exposed upper half. She unbuttoned Natsuki's white undershirt before discarding it on the foot of the bed. Her crimson orbs stared at the woman's bra-clad upper body. Her eyes roamed and were glued on the woman's well-tone abs.

Natsuki slowly guided her hand towards it.

Shizuru felt it tightened under her touch. "You're beautiful." She whispered, looking into emerald orbs.

Natsuki pulled her towards her outstretched legs.

Shizuru found herself sitting on Natsuki's lap. Her mouth was once again fighting for dominance with the other one. She felt warm palms massaging her mounds, causing her to break the deep passionate kiss. Her neck was once again attacked by Natsuki's hungry mouth. Shizuru just wrapped her hands behind Natsuki's neck as she allowed the woman to dominate. Soon enough, she felt something soft and wet circling around her nipple, making her arched back in pleasure.

Natsuki held her small back to keep her in place using her right hand. Her left one was busy massaging Shizuru's abandoned right mound. Her mouth was preoccupied with worshipping Shizuru's left one.

"Nat-suki, please-" Shizuru begged as she tightened her long slender legs around Natsuki's waist. The heat between her legs started to become unbearable.

Natsuki slowly brought her head up, not without trailing kisses on her flesh. She searched Shizuru's eyes as she slowly laid her back down.

"Please." Shizuru begged for the heat on her lower half to be taken care off.

Natsuki lowered down her head and once again tasted her sweet mouth. Her hand travelled down, worshipping every flesh on its wake. She hooked her thumb on Shizuru's underwear before pulling it down and discarding it. Her hand travelled further between Shizuru's legs and wordlessly urged her to spread it a little.

Shizuru felt herself involuntarily trying to meet Natsuki's hand. Her hips buckled upward when she started to feel Natsuki's hand on the spot where she needed her the most. Her heart felt like she just ran a marathon. Every nerve in her body was anticipating and screaming for the touch. Her body seemed to explode in immeasurable pleasure. It felt like she needed to release something within her.

"Nat-suki." She called in her low bedroom voice when she noticed Natsuki stopped.

A deafening sound was soon heard and Shizuru searched for its source.

XXX

Shizuru jerked up from the sound of the alarm clock next to her head. Her breathing was labored and she was bathing in sweat. Her camisole and robe were sticking to her flesh. She looked around and noticed that she was still in her bedroom. Alone. No Natsuki. She looked down and her face flushed when she noticed the mess that she was in.

"What was that?" She blinked her eyes a few times before trying to calm her raging hormones. "That felt-" She paused, searching for the right. "good?"

Realization hit her and she shook her head. "What are you doing to me, Kuga?"

A cold wind swept and touched her body making her shiver. She glanced at the balcony's direction and noticed that it was left opened. She fell asleep when she was setting her alarm clock. She realized.

"I need a shower." She muttered, glancing at the blinking clock. "A very cold one."

It was four in the morning and she needed to start preparing for their flight which was scheduled at five-thirty on that day.

XXX

Author's Notes:

Okay, that was-. Oooppsss. Not what you think. Let me know who among of you have correctly guessed that it was just a wet dream.


	7. Chapter 7

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 7

"It's been fucking days!" Natsuki yelled as she threw another punch on the innocent black bag hanging. "Where the hell is that detective?"

She kicked the punching bag which was unfazed by her force. She was dripping in sweat. She paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead with her arm. She was wearing a sports bra matched with shorts that reached her mid-thigh. She surely did not need something that will cover her sweating legs. Her feet were covered with training shoes instead of the ones worn by professionals. A pair of boxing gloves was covering her hands.

She glanced to her left where the agent was calmly doing her yoga routine. A glass wall was separating them. They were currently inside Natsuki's gym. It was a room filled with all the necessary muscle-building equipment but Natsuki was not interested in them. The glass walls were pulled up hence, they can feel the fresh air coming in and out. It was an opened gym facing their huge backyard green lawn that Natsuki was not even sure of its exact perimeter. She closed her eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of grass being carried by the wind. She released a breath of air before looking at the agent who was still working on her routine.

"Aarrgh. How long will she keep me grounded?" Natsuki wondered. Her attention was now on the agent who was stretching her body to its limit.

Since the incident, the agent was keen on keeping her locked inside the comfort of her home. She was not allowed to even do her morning jogging. The agent's main reason was her security. Aside from her strict order of making her stay at home, Natsuki did not have any complaint at all. The woman cooked for her and did all the household chores.

Although she was anxious and worried sick about her mother's whereabouts, she had no choice but to follow her. Good thing that the woman volunteered to _keep her in shape_. Keeping her in shape meant putting her bones in danger of being broken. She was taught advanced self defense and offense techniques. She was too preoccupied with her physical pain that she almost always forgot about her worries. Body pain was her companion during the agent's first week of stay in her house. Unfortunately for her, she was still deemed out of shape by the woman. Though, she praised her endurance during their first training. Luckily though, none of her bones was broken although she heard a few snapped back then. She was a swimmer after all and her late father was not a very lenient trainer himself. One of the reasons why her parents always argued. Her father believed that she was too soft hence, she needed to _man up_. Which her mother highly disagreed with.

" _Dad, I don't know what to do."_ Natsuki thought, feeling lost as she looked outside where an expanse of greenery can be seen. _"I hurt Mom and I don't think I can forgive myself if something bad happened to her. I should have not pushed her away. I should have listened to her. Dad, I'm so fucking stupid. This is all my fault."_ She berated herself.

"Natsuki-chan, are you ready for your training?" Agent Senoh came in with a hand towel in hand and a drinking bottle on the other. She was cleaning off the sweat on her body.

The glass wall closed behind her. Her yoga mat was left on the other side of the room.

"Natsuki-chan?" Agent Senoh called once again when her ward did not answer but continued staring blankly outside.

"Huh?" Natsuki blinked when she heard a voice calling her.

"I am asking if you are ready to spar with me." Agent Senoh repeated herself, looking at Natsuki with worry. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. I'm fine." Natsuki cleared her throat. "I'll just remove these." She gestured towards the gloves on her hands.

"Alright, I will wait for you there." Agent Senoh smiled before proceeding to the other side of the room where mats were covering the entire floor. It was the space to the right where Natsuki was.

XXX

"Ready?" Agent Senoh asked as she positioned herself. Her fists were raised and her legs were spread apart, keeping her gravity and balance. She was still in her yoga attire.

Natsuki was doing the same position and all her senses were heightened. She knew better to keep her focus on her opponent after her previous lessons. "Always." She nodded.

Right before they started, the door to the training room opened and an expressionless Detective Sugiura walked inside. "Aoi, I will spar with her." She announced.

"As you wish, Midori-san." Agent Senoh went into a relaxed position before she stepped out of the mat. She calmly leaned on the wall, ready to observe what was about to happen.

"Finally it is about time for you to show your face to us, Detective." Natsuki's expression darkened at the woman who only showed up once. "I thought for a second that you forgot this address."

Detective Sugiura approached Natsuki. She did not even bother removing her coat and her shoes. She stopped when she was four steps away from Natsuki. "Show me what you have learned, child." She smirked at Natsuki.

"Stop calling me that." Natsuki hissed as she lowered herself into an offensive position.

"You're all talk, child. I don't have all day." Detective Sugiura looked down at her.

"Let's see if you can say that afterwards." Natsuki threw a punch which was easily dodged by the detective. She threw another one but missed again.

"Really, Aoi? What were you teaching this child? Yoga?" Detective Sugiura turned her body towards the agent who was shaking her head.

"Hey, don't turn your back on me!" Natsuki yelled before throwing a roundhouse kick which was again dodged.

Detective Sugiura turned her attention back to her and she tried kicking her on the head.

"What the hell?" Natsuki murmured when her leg was easily caught by the detective's hand.

"I think you'll do better in yoga class than in Taekwondo." Detective Sugiura mocked her as she pushed Natsuki's right leg further up. She caught her ankle. "Or in a ballet class, perhaps?"

Natsuki used her free left leg to kick the detective's chin but the latter just tilted her head before releasing her right foot. Natsuki maneuvered her body backwards before standing again on her feet.

The sparring continued with Natsuki throwing punches and kicks while Detective Sugiura dodged every single one of them with no difficulty at all.

"We found your mother's body this morning." Detective Sugiura suddenly blurted out, causing Natsuki to freeze on her spot.

Agent Senoh just kept her eyes steady on the two women in front of her. Her face was now devoid of any emotion as she visibly gulped.

"W-what did you say?" Natsuki stuttered, not believing her ears.

Detective Sugiura just looked at her with blank expression. "You heard me, child."

Before Detective Sugiura can move a muscle, Natsuki's face was snarling at her. Her grip on her collar was tight, making her knuckles turned white. "What bullshit did you spurt?"

"Your mother is dead. We found her body this morning." Detective Sugiura looked into blazing emerald orbs.

"Liar!" Natsuki yelled in her face before tightening her grip, almost choking the detective. "Don't give me shits if you're incompetent enough to find her."

"You are in denial, child." Detective Sugiura stated not fazed by the fuming woman.

"If you can't find her then, I will." Natsuki said through clenched teeth before releasing the detective and turning away from the detective.

Before she can even take another step, Natsuki found herself lifted off the mat before her back hit the ground once again.

"Rule number one: Never turn your back on your enemy unless it is dead." Detective Sugiura recited at the shocked young woman on the floor. "You're coming with me to the morgue."

"Mom is not dead!" Natsuki yelled in denial before abruptly standing up. She started to blindly throw punches at the unperturbed detective. Tears started to blur her vision.

"That's enough, Natsuki-chan." Agent Senoh stopped her from further attacking. She engulfed the enraged young woman in an attempt to calm her down. She herself knew that no amount of comfort can be offered to her.

"No. She can't be dead. Mom can't be dead. She can't be." Natsuki repeated in a mantra as her energy get drained. She fell limply on the agent's arms.

"I will bring her to the morgue this evening. Give her some time." Agent Senoh addressed the detective who was looking at Natsuki pensively. Her hands were kept inside her coat pockets.

Natsuki shook her head which was resting on the crook of the agent's neck. "No. I will go now."

Agent Senoh glanced down at her before releasing a breath. "Okay. Let us get some proper clothes on you first."

"I'll be in the living room." Detective Sugiura nodded at the agent who gave her a soft smile that did not even reach her eyes.

XXX

Natsuki was willing every ounce of energy in her body to approach the figure on the metal table. A white cloth was covering it.

They were in a white room with the agent and detective behind her. A man wearing white laboratory gown with her mask on was standing behind the corpse.

"Please take it off." Detective Sugiura ordered.

The man removed the white cover until it revealed the corpse's face and her shoulder. The rest of her body remained covered. He once again stepped aside.

Natsuki's stomach churned uncomfortably. She felt like throwing up at the sight of her mother's ashened face and still body. She never thought that the day will come when she will witness her mother to be on top of a metal table. Devoid of life. If it was just a nightmare, she wished that she could wake up soon. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes but nothing changed.

"Mom." Natsuki uttered as tears refused to roll down her cheeks.

She did not expect herself to be that strong. For whatever reason, she cannot bring herself to cry. There was something inside her that refused to let herself be vulnerable in front of strangers. She gripped the white sheet as she looked at her mother like it was the first time. She engraved her mother's face in her memory.

The room was silent for a while. Leaving Natsuki to grieve silently.

"Can you identify the corpse, child?" Detective Sugiura broke the silence.

Natsuki straightened herself from her slouched position before inhaling deeply. "Yes. Her name is - was Kuga Saeko. She is-. She was my mother."

"This is the only thing we retrieved in her possession." The man in laboratory gown held up a transparent container containing a white-gold necklace with the letter R pendant. "We thought you might want to keep it."

Natsuki looked at the familiar accessory and nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, that's hers." She accepted the offered object. "She never took this off. It was a gift from me." She murmured.

XXX

Natsuki was standing in front of two tombstones with her emerald orbs covered in dark glasses. Her dark clothes reflected the sorrow and hollow feeling she had. She glanced up at the clear sky above. _"Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't keep my promise. I wasn't able to protect her. I didn't welcome her back contrary to what you wanted me to. I didn't give her the chance to explain herself. I am an idiot. I don't deserve both of you."_

She tilted her head down and looked at the newly added tombstone. _"Mom, I'm really sorry. Truly I am. Please forgive your selfish daughter. I let my anger consumed me. I'm sorry, Mom. Don't worry about me. I forgive you. I'm sorry you didn't hear it directly from me. I should have told you before it was too late. I love you, Mom."_

Detective Sugiura approached the mourning teenager when she noticed her taking a step back. "The people who helped your mother met an accident on their way to transporting her out of Japan. They were your mother's colleague. They were responsible for their scientists' security and protection hence, they followed your mother. None of them survived. The gunman who shot her was also arrested. It turned out to be a mistaken identity. The person who was supposed to be assassinated resembled your mother. The suspect is dead now as we speak. He is gone. This is a closed case, Natsuki. No person responsible is on the loose. You should move forward. I'm sure your parents wanted a good future for you. Make them proud, Natsuki." She squeezed Natsuki's shoulder before stepping back. "Agent Senoh will still be you until you turn eighteen."

Natsuki just nodded before looking into the distant. _"I'm not a child, Detective. You can't feed me your half-ass lies."_

She turned around and caught the sight of a calm Agent Senoh who was patiently waiting for her near a black car.

XXX

Author's Notes: Hello dear readers! I am afraid I will not have much time to update this story as frequent as I want to. I'm doing work and school at the same time. My Sundays are even full.


	8. Chapter 8

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 8

Shizuru looked at the car's window as the limousine she was in traversed the familiar school ground. Break was over and as much as she wanted to extend her mother's stay with her, she could not. Both of them have their respective duties and obligations to fulfill.

"I wonder what she did during the long break." She muttered before realizing what she just said. "Why am I even asking?" She shook her head, wanting the thought to go away. "Here is another school year. I should focus on important matters."

"Ojou-sama, are you alright?" Akito asked his mistress who did not even notice the car stopping.

"I am, Akito-san." Shizuru answered briefly, not moving a muscle.

"We are in the school ground, Ojou-sama. Would you like a few moments to yourself?" Akito looked at the young mistress who seemed surprised.

"No need, Akito-san." Shizuru grabbed her satchel before exiting the limousine.

Akito closed the passenger door before bowing at Shizuru. "I shall be going, Ojou-sama. Work hard on your studies."

"Thank you, Akito-san. Please take care on your way back." Shizuru smiled at her butler.

She fixed her uniform which was of different color. She was wearing the regular student uniform since election for the student council was scheduled on the second week of class. They were not allowed to wear the cream colored blazer until they were duly elected.

She started to walk towards the arc where the entrance was.

" _Where is she?"_ She asked wordlessly when she was halfway through. _"She will usually start bugging me at this moment."_ She checked her watch and frowned when she noticed that she was in her usual time.

Her musing stopped when she noticed someone walked beside her. She glanced to her right and she almost stopped in her track when she noticed who it was.

" _Kuga-san."_ She thought as her heart skipped a beat.

" _What is this?"_ She asked herself when she felt something strange in her stomach.

The sophomore was walking a good distance from her but her presence was doing weird things unknown to Shizuru who was now in her junior year.

" _Why is she ignoring me?"_ Shizuru thought when she noticed the sophomore was just walking wordlessly towards the entrance.

Her expression was also blank. Her satchel was held by her right hand and slung behind her right shoulder. On ordinary occurrence, Shizuru's satchel should have been snatched long ago and be carried by the now sophomore student.

They continued walking in silence with Shizuru glancing at the stoic sophomore every now and then. The latter seemed uncaring though as she continued to walk.

"Natsuki! Good morning!" A fiery haired woman jumped at Natsuki and engulfed her in a bear hug. "I missed you."

"Mai. Air." Natsuki tapped the woman's back.

"But I missed you, Natsuki. Did you not miss me?" Mai pouted as she released her friend.

"Mikoto misses you too, Natsuki-chan." A child-like teenager with braided her chirped.

"Oh, Fujino-san. Good morning." Mai beamed at the woman beside Natsuki who stopped in her track.

"Good morning, too." Shizuru smiled demurely although she felt a little pinch in her heart when she noticed how the woman latched to Natsuki.

"Let's go to the assembly, Mai." Natsuki simply stated before starting to walk away.

"Excuse us, Fujino-san." Mai addressed Shizuru before turning on her heels and walking briskly towards Natsuki. "Natsuki, wait! What's the hurry?"

Shizuru stood there in puzzlement as the three students continued their walk. She shook the unknown feelings before continuing inside.

XXX

Weeks went by and Shizuru did not feel the presence of the sophomore near her. A part of her was relieved that she no longer had to be always on the lookout. At the same time, a little voice was telling her that she was missing something. That little voice was soon silenced by her.

It was gym class and Shizuru's class was having volleyball. The gym was unusually filled with students. She roamed her crimson orbs and noticed that there were sophomores playing on the basketball court. She proceeded to start stretching because they still have ten minutes before the start of their class.

"Did you see that?" A junior in Shizuru's class asked her two other friends while giggling.

"That is totally hot." Junior number two giggled as she bit her lip and looked at one of the players on the court.

"I'll switch to the other team just to have that body above me. God, have you seen her fingers?" Junior number three chipped in while fanning her face.

"I'm sure those fingers can do other things other than shoot balls." Junior number one smiled knowingly before snapping pictures.

"God, I want to be her shirt right now." Junior number two almost moaned.

Shizuru curiously looked at the direction where the three juniors were looking at. Blood rushed to her face when she noticed who they were looking at.

There in the middle of the basketball court was Natsuki who was wiping her sweat with the hem of her shirt. Her firmed abdomen was exposed to everyone. Shizuru stared at the six-packed abs and the v line which should only be possible for men. Her crimson orbs seemed to be glued to that body part of the sophomore when her dream suddenly flashed back. She shook her head to dismiss the thought before letting her eyes travel back up. She froze in her stretching when emerald orbs met her eyes. Their gaze locked for a few more seconds until Natsuki raised a questioning eyebrow towards her. Before she can even react, the sophomore turned her attention to her coach while drinking water. Shizuru gulped when a few droplets of water cascaded down her stomach.

"Oh lala. Remind me to invite her entire class for my next house party." Junior number one once again looked at Natsuki like she was a piece of meat.

"You're impossible, Anh." Junior number four joined them. "Come on. Leave the kids alone. Let's stretch before Ms. Maria kills us." She said, pulling the other three with her.

XXX

Shizuru, together with her classmates, was already in the locker room and changing back to their uniform.

"Thank God he is not our gym teacher this semester!" A junior student said, slamming her locker door closed and locking it.

"Yeah. Those sophomores are going to be dead sore after." Another concurred, cringing as she reminisced her own taste of misery.

"Never again." Another one supplemented.

The door to the locker room swung opened and the group of exhausted and drained sophomores came in. Some were whining loudly while others were wiping the sweat off their body.

Shizuru's eyes searched for a familiar figure which she saw was walking silently behind the group. Her calm stoic face was betraying the state of exhaustion that she was in.

The junior students started piling out to give way to the sophomores who started to proceed to the benches to rest their aching body.

Natsuki silently went to the far end bench which happened to be near Shizuru.

"Shit." Natsuki muttered as she discarded her shoes and stared at the swollen state of her left ankle.

Shizuru's attention was shifted to the sound of the sophomore cursing. She looked at the junior who was glaring at her left ankle.

"You should have stopped when you hurt it." She said, approaching Natsuki.

"Tch." Natsuki ignored her and instead stood up to open her locker. She searched for her water bottle which she found to be empty.

"Great." Natsuki muttered before tossing back the container inside the locker and closing it in a not so gentle way.

"Here. It is unopened." Shizuru offered the bottled water she was holding but Natsuki just ignored her and started walking towards the shower stall.

"You should rest first before taking a shower." Shizuru said, looking at the back of Natsuki who just scoffed at her.

"I know that you are rude but I did not expect you to be this rude. Declining a help from someone when it is obvious that you badly need it." Shizuru continued as Natsuki entered the stall.

But Natsuki continued to ignore her and started stripping off her jersey shirt, leaving her sports bra on. She turned on the shower and acted like Shizuru was not around.

"Do not turn your back on me when I am talking to you." Shizuru approached Natsuki and grabbed her arm to turn her around, not minding drenching herself.

But before she knew it, her back was already on the wall and her head was trapped between Natsuki's arms. Her hands were firmly planted on Natsuki's abdomen out of reflex to put some distance between them.

Emerald orbs were looking at her darkly. "I am doing exactly what you want, woman. Staying away from you." She inched closer to Shizuru that she could feel her breath on her face. "Now, fuck-off."

Shizuru was frozen in her place, looking at the enraged emerald orbs. And as if her hands had a mind of their own, they slowly went to Natsuki's face and held the surprised woman in place. "No." She whispered as she looked at green orbs which seemed to softened. "Not until I know what is going on with you."

Natsuki's face hardened before removing Shizuru's hands from her face. "It's none of your business. Stay away from me."

"You can tell me anything." Shizuru continued, not letting go of Natsuki's face.

Natsuki just closed her eyes and faced the cascading water from the shower head, willing her tears not to fall and finding the strength not to give in to the voice of the woman which seemed to calm her. "I don't need your help."

Shizuru, unperturbed, approached her. "Just tell me what I can do to help." She said, looking at the hardened face of Natsuki.

Natsuki snapped her eyes open and darkened emerald orbs stared back at Shizuru. She pushed Shizuru to the wall and inched her face closed. "You want to help?" She asked mockingly. "How about giving me some entertainment?" She said before forcedly ripping Shizuru's blouse open and exposing the latter's bra-clad upper torso.

Natsuki's harsh hands started exploring Shizuru's body but before she can go any further, Shizuru pulled her closer. The woman's naked upper torso merged with her own.

Shizuru held Natsuki's head as she wrapped her left arm around her waist, taking advantage of her height. "Stop. Don't do something you will regret later on." She said, not perturbed in the slightest of the state of her ruined clothes.

The woman's embrace was like home to Natsuki. Warm and welcoming. For the first time after her mother's death, she felt like she can be vulnerable and cry everything out.

Shizuru felt Natsuki's forehead being buried on the crook of her neck. The woman was silent for a couple of seconds before she felt her starting to distance herself from her.

"You should stay away from me." Natsuki whispered as her fist tightened around the hem of Shizuru's ruined white blouse. She willed herself to get out of the safe haven which Shizuru's arms provided.

"I don't want you anywhere near me." Natsuki said before hurriedly going out of the shower stall.

Shizuru was left under the shower. Drenched and confused of her own action.

XXX

Hello, my dear readers! How's life treating you so far? Just a heads-up. This is supposed to be a 15-chapter long story only. It will be short because I barely have time for leisure. Let me know your thoughts or concern (?).

Oh, did I ever mention to you that I am in law school? So, my routine is basically being drained at work in the morning and grilled in classes in the evening. Law school is basically eating books and cases as meals. Work is basically travelling from one place to another. How I managed that? Simple. If there's a will, there's a way. Cliché but anything is possible.

To all those who already have criminal intent on their mind for my failure to update, it's okay. Just rant it out in the comment section.

Change of muse, by the way.


	9. Chapter 9

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 9

"If I remember correctly, I did not bring it to my Literature class. Where could that book be?" Shizuru murmured as she searched her satchel.

"Shizuru, is everything alright?" Anh, the student council president asked when she noticed her cousin's burrowed eyebrows while looking at her satchel.

"Yes, Anh-sama. I think I forgot my book in the locker room." Shizuru sighed before closing her satchel.

"Uh uh. Report is due tomorrow. It's still…" Anh glanced at her watch before looking at Shizuru apologetically. "11:01PM. Sorry to keep the meeting this long. We really need to wrap things up before the ball." She gave Shizuru a tired smile. "But I think the gym is still open." She gestured to the lighted building.

"It is fine Anh-sama. It is our duty to help you. Thank you for your hardwork." Shizuru bowed at the student council president.

"Thanks for your help, Shizuru. You'll be the in-charge next year. Consider this as your training." Anh stretched her arm out and inhaled the cold night air. "Damn. I hate winter nights." She blew air on her hands before rubbing them for some heat. "I'm throwing a party at my house. Are you coming?"

"If my schedule permits." Shizuru answered shortly.

"Psh." Anh waived her hand in dismissal. "I'll have someone pick you up." She said before hurriedly going to her waiting black Bugatti Veyron. "See you, there!"

Shizuru just shooked her head before going to the gym's direction. She retrieved her phone before dialing her buttler.

"Ojou-sama, my apologies. We encountered a minor problem but we shall be there in due time." The person on the other line responded.

"Worry not, Akito-san. I still have another matter to attend to. I will wait at the usual location." Shizuru replied before ending the call.

XXX

Shizuru was walking towards the locker room's direction when she noticed something floating on the 50M pool. "Don't tell me…" She squint her eyes before walking briskly towards the pool. The jersey on the bench with the script "Kuga" caught her eyes' attention. "Why is she still here?"

She slowly walked towards the pool. "I do not recall receiving any request from the swimming team captain for any extension on the gym's usage. You are only allowed to use this gym until ten o'clock in the evening, _Kuga-san_." Shizuru said, emphasizing the last word.

She slowly approached the edge of the pool to get as closer as she can to the floating body. "Besides, your competition has just ended. As much as the school takes pride in your team's victory, the student council still do not give leniency. Our rules are clear. Seek permission whenever you need to use any of the school premises outside the allowable hours."

Shizuru got closer and noticed the woman's closed eyes and her body's relaxed posture. "As the student council vice-president, I am ordering you to get out of the pool right now." She said calmly but authoritatively.

But all these fell on deaf ears. She squint her eyes and that was when she noticed that the woman's body was starting to drown. "Is she unconscious?" She waited for a few seconds for any reaction but none came. Overcome with panic, she put her satchel down before jumping into the water without a second thought.

"Kuga-san. Kuga-san." She called but no response when she reached the woman. "Wake-up." She slapped the woman in an attempt to make her conscious. Hard.

"The fuck?!" Natsuki snapped her eyes open. "Who the hell.." She stood on the pool which water level only reached her shoulder. She caught a flicker of relief washed Shizuru's face but she ignored it. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She said coldly after removing the earphones from her ears.

"I have been calling your attention for several times. I thought you were unconscious and…" Shizuru started to explain but halted when Natsuki started advancing towards her direction, closing the gap between their bodies.

"I've been swimming my whole life, Fujino." Natsuki answered coldly. "There's no way in hell for me to drown."

"You were not responding." Shizuru answered shortly when she noticed her body touched the end of the pool.

"So?" Natsuki arched an eyebrow before planting both her arms beside Shizuru, trapping the woman.

"I thought you drowned, okay?!" Shizuru admitted with exasperation. "What are you doing?" She said when she noticed Natsuki smirked and inched her body closer.

"Were you about to give me a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Ojou-sama?" Natsuki asked mockingly as she inched her face closer to Shizuru.

"Of course not." Shizuru met Natsuki's eyes, not backing-up. "Don't think too high of yourself, Kuga-san."

Natsuki did not respond but instead held Shizuru's cheek and looked at her mouth. She noticed the woman froze when she started closing the gap between them.

Shizuru not knowing what to do just closed her eyes and waited for whatever to come.

Natsuki's mouth lingered near Shizuru's, feeling the woman's soft breath on her face. She looked at the woman's closed eyes before diverting her mouth near Shizuru's left ear. "You're in the way. Step aside. I need to use the ladder." She said before abruptly distancing herself.

Natsuki saw Shizuru's eyes snapped open. As realization hit her, hurt flashed in her eyes before they turned to anger. Next thing Natsuki felt was the soft palm of Shizuru hitting her left cheek. The woman abruptly turned around and hurriedly got out of the pool.

"Tch." Natsuki ignored the pain on her cheek and looked at the woman who was now calmly picking up her satchel.

XXX

"Three absences in one week. Two tardiness on the two days present. Can Kuga-san explain this unbecoming behavior?" Shizuru calmly sat behind the desk with Natsuki's file in front of her.

As part of her training, per Anh, she started handling the students' disciplinary measure which was the duty of the council president. Her last student for the morning was no other than Natsuki who was leaning pensively on the door with her arms crossed.

"You are aware of the behavior expected of you as a beneficiary of this institution's benevolent scholarship grant. It seems to me that you are disregarding your duty to be of good example to our students." Shizuru looked into Natsuki who just scoffed at her.

Natsuki just shook her head after giving a mocking smile. "You know what's funny?" She started, looking at Shizuru who stared back at her coldly. "It amazes me how you noticed my _three days absences and two days tardiness_ __when 80%..."She paused and thought things over. "no, 86.543% of the student population do not give a shit about attendance, _ **Fujino-sama**_. What's more amazing is that none of them gets called in the student council room. Where is impartiality in that, Ms. Vice-President?"

"I am here to remedy whatever shortcomings the previous student council had, Kuga-san. I am imposing the school rules from this day onward. Strict compliance will be required of each student. No exceptions shall be given. I can assure you that." Shizuru answered with the air of authority around her. "I will impose penalty based on what is stated on the student handbook not on my personal opinion."

"Section 13, Article V on Required Attendance of State Scholars states that corresponding penalty shall be imposed by the Board of Trustees on violators of this rule after due process has been observed. Violators with three consecutive absences shall be immediately subject to investigation by the Board…" Natsuki recited the guidelines on the student handbook word for word. "Am I right, Ms. Vice-President? Oh, I'm sorry. You might not have read yet the handbook" She straightened up and started to open the door. "While you are at it, I'm just gonna do something productive."

Shizuru smiled before speaking. "Without prejudice to the sanctions that may be imposed by the student council as it deemed necessary."

Natsuki halted in her step. Her hands gripped the door handle. "Fuck." She muttered.

"Page 156 of the Student handbook third paragraph, Kuga-san." Shizuru leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms, looking at Natsuki coldly. "You may wish to take a seat, Kuga-san. Do not wait for me to hold you for contempt."

"So you're power tripping, now." Natsuki stated as she leaned back on the door.

"I am doing my job, Kuga-san. I am just protecting the interest of our benefactors. I cannot allow the funds they are donating to be invested in someone who does not deserve their benevolence." Shizuru replied, albeit coldly.

"Expel me." Natsuki looked straight into crimson orbs. "Give it to someone better suited."

"That is beyond the authority given to me as a student council vice-president." Shizuru replied as a matter of fact.

"Don't play dumb on me. Your mother is my benefactor and you know that." Natsuki almost rolled her eyes.

"Do I now?" Shizuru sipped her tea calmly.

"Suit yourself." Natsuki went for the door instead. "The fuck?" She cursed when the door won't even budge. She tried pulling the door handle but nothing happened. Fuming, she faced the still calm Shizuru. "This is illegal detention."

"I do not think so." Shizuru replied nonchalantly. "You are still under preliminary investigation."

"Fine." Natsuki flicked her hair before turning around and facing the door. She took a deep breath before kicking the door open and destroying it in the process. "Add damage to school property to your list." She yelled before going her way. "Fujino-san."

Shizuru was left massaging her forehead and staring at the destroyed door. "What will I do with you?" She asked no one.

XXX

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Anh held her heart dramatically with the hand holding a substance that Shizuru was sure was nowhere near punch. "My dear cousin, the great and righteous Shizuru Fujino is at my party! What a good time to be alive!" She exclaimed exaggeratedly.

The mansion was full of people. Drinks and foods were not a problem. Tables were a mess and half-naked bodies were everywhere. The noise was too loud for anyone to understand each other without yelling.

"Like I said, Anh-sama. If my schedule permits. So, here I am." Shizuru smiled at her cousin whose sobriety was starting to dissipate in thin air.

"This is the first party that you have ever attended. Like literally." Anh rolled her eyes. "Since it's your first time here, it's time for your initiation. Come." Anh said excitedly before dragging Shizuru with her.

"Coming through. Coming through. Excuse us, guys." Anh kept pulling her until they arrived at a pool table where the crowd was cheering loudly.

There on both sides of a pool table where wine glasses filled with coloured liquors, two players were playing beer pong but instead of beer, various alcoholic drinks filled the glasses.

"Why is she here?" Shizuru muttered when she saw who the winning player was.

Well, judging from the state of her opponent and her still untouched glasses, it was obvious who the winner was.

"Boooo." The crowd booed when one of the players who happened to be a man passed out.

"And the winner is…." Chie Harada held Natsuki's hand. "Kuga!" She raised it like the woman had won a boxing tournament. "Who's next?" She asked the audience.

"Hold it, Chie." Anh interrupted. "We have a special guest." She said before shoving her cousin in front.

"Trying to kill someone, Fujino-sama?" Chie remarked, noticing the little black dress worn by Shizuru.

True to her observation, the woman was showing more skin than necessary. Her front was covered but totally backless. Add the fact that she was obviously not wearing any bra at all. Judging from the visible flesh of her breast.

Shizuru looked at Natsuki whose eyes seemed rooted on her. She saw her visibly gulp as the woman took her entirety.

"Maybe." Shizuru just shrugged her shoulder.

"Interesting." Chie's smile widened before she assisted Shizuru to the other side of the pool table. "Stay here and I'll give the mechanics."

"Thank you." Shizuru smiled before turning her attention to Natsuki.

She arched an eyebrow at the woman who was finally pulled out from her lala land. Natsuki cleared her throat and fixed her varsity jacket. Yes, she was a jean and white t-shirt type of person. A simple sneakers on her feet and she was good to go.

A waiter came and replaced the glasses on the other end.

"Alright. The game is simple. Shoot the ping pong ball inside the glass and your opponent needs to drink it. First one to have empty glasses loses." Chie explained after positioning herself in the middle.

"What's the catch?" Shizuru asked.

"Winner owns the loser!" Anh interjected with a wink. She went to Shizuru's side before whispering. "I'm willing to be her master if you want. Play _smart_ , dear cousin. She's a good shooter." She tapped Shizuru's back lightly before backing away. "Good luck."

"Who's going first?" Chie asked the two.

"I don't mind." Natsuki answered before throwing a ball which easily landed on a whitish substance with the least volume.

"As easy as that. Now, you have to drink the content, Fujino-sama." Chie explained, grinning.

Shizuru took the glass and looked at the substance. She glanced at Natsuki whose expression was now neutral. She took a deep breath before gulping the content in one go. She cringed at the after taste.

She picked a ping pong ball before aiming it at one of the glasses. Unfortunately, it bounced off the glass.

Natsuki just smirked and got hold of another ball.

An idea came to Shizuru's mind and she planted both her palms on the edge of the table, exposing her cleavage. She smiled triumphantly when she noticed Natsuki's breath hitched.

"Damn." Natsuki muttered when she lost her focus and threw the ball at the wrong time.

"My turn." Shizuru fixed herself and threw another ball which easily landed on a glass filled with tequila.

"Uh. Uh." Chie remarked when she noticed the fully filled glass. "We can change that if you want, Kuga. That's part of the previous game."

Natsuki's eyes almost bulged. It was her who requested to have the wine glass be filled with tequila to an unhealthy amount during their previous game. The rule was, the opponent only needed to aim for that glass and he will be the winner.

"Nah." Natsuki waived her hand before taking the glass and chugging down the content.

"Whoa. Easy there." Chie came to her side.

Natsuki slammed the glass down before wiping her mouth and shaking her head. She can feel its immediate effect. "My turn." She shook her head once more before throwing the ball which just bounced back.

Shizuru took her turn and aimed for the blue and red mixture one filled to the top. The ball easily landed inside which made her smile.

Natsuki took the glass immediately and drained its content. She wiped her mouth with her jacket. She got another ball and tried to focus on the glass in front of Shizuru. She threw the ball which bounced twice before falling off the table.

"Arrggh." She planted her palms on the table for support. Her vision started to be funny. She blinked her eyes a few times to get rid of the weird vision.

The game continued with Natsuki missing the glasses and Shizuru shooting the ping pong ball with no difficulty.

"I believe we are done here." Shizuru declared, refusing to throw any more ping pong balls.

"Nope-hic. Not-hic-hic-yet." Natsuki slurred as she tried to straighten herself up.

"I think we should stop here, Kuga." Chie said, scratching her neck. "I don't think you can still handle more."

"Bull-hic-shit." Natsuki dismissed.

Shizuru threw the ball and it landed on another half-filled tequila glass.

Natsuki grabbed the glass but Anh was quick enough to snatch it away from her. "Sorry but no casualty in my party. I don't want any alcohol poisoning here."

"I will take her home." Shizuru intervened.

"And how are you going to do that?" Anh gave her a questioning look which almost made Shizuru face-palmed herself. "Just take my room in the greenhouse. That's safer than going upstairs."

"Thanks, Anh. I will do that." Shizuru replied before holding Natsuki's waist and assisting her.

The crowd was still louder and the music was blaring. But the catcalls can still be heard as they passed by.

"Aaarrrghh." Natsuki grumbled before trying to remove her jacket.

"What are you doing? Keep still and stop making this hard for us." Shizuru looked at Natsuki who still continued removing her jacket.

"Wear-hic-this-now." Natsuki stopped as she tried to wrap the jacked around Shizuru who was surprised with the gesture.

"Pervert." Natsuki muttered between hiccups.

"I am a pervert?" Shizuru looked at Natsuki unsurely.

"No." Natsuki shook her head. "Them-hic. Wear-hic-this-hic-please." She said before trying to put the jacket on Shizuru again.

Shizuru wore the jacket before looking at Natsuki. "Happy now? Can we go?"

"No-hic." Natsuki shook her head before fully zipping up the jacket. "Bet-ter." She grinned at Shizuru before stumbling on her feet.

Shizuru immediately came to her side to pull her up.

XXX

"God, why drink so much when you cannot handle your alcohol?" Shizuru chastised her companion whose weight she was dragging with her. She kicked the door shut with her foot when they finally arrived inside Anh's bedroom.

"For someone your size, you are heavy." Shizuru dumped Natsuki unto the bed.

Unfortunately for her, Natsuki's arm was still wrapped around her neck so, she went with her on the bed. She heard Natsuki giggled underneath her. "I do not find anything funny with our situation, Kuga-san."

Natsuki stopped giggling and raised her right hand. She held Shizuru's cheek and looked at her with longing and adoration. "You're-hic-beautiful, Shizuru." She said before giving her a genuine smile which reached her eyes.

Shizuru was mesmerized by the honest and vulnerable emerald orbs staring at her. She tried to move but her body had a mind of its own. It started descending near Natsuki's face.

"But-hic-I-hic-can-hic-never-hic-have-hic-you." Natsuki finished before planting a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Not-hic-safe-hic."

Shizuru closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart which seemed to be hyper than usual. Slowly, she felt Natsuki's hand went limp before a steady breathing was heard.

"What are you doing to me?" She asked with her forehead pressed unto the sleeping woman.

She released a breath before getting up the bed. She looked at the passed out woman and noticed that her shirt had ridden up, exposing her well-toned abdomen. Shizuru shook her head to will the _unnecessary thoughts_ away and proceeded to discard Natsuki's sneakers instead.

"I cannot risk you going berserk in the morning if I change your clothes." She tucked Natsuki in before going to the bathroom to fix herself.

XXX

Author's Note:

What will happen once Natsuki wakes up in the morning?


	10. Chapter 10

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 10

Natsuki woke up to a severe headache. She opened her eyes slowly and tried to figure out her whereabouts. "What the hell happened?" She massaged the bridge of her nose, trying to remember the event. She panicked when bits of memories slowly came back to her. "Shit. She's going to kill me." She hurriedly searched for her phone. "35 missed calls and 3 messages." She shook her head before trying to read the messages. Her still drunken state was blurring her vision.

" _Get your dumb ass here. He's here."_

" _Stupid dog! You're supposed to get the information from that dick and not enjoy the fucking party."_

" _Same place. Same time. If you still want to pursue your plan."_

"I need to get the hell out of here." Natsuki stood up and tried to maneuver her way out of the bedroom. "Where is the fucking door?" She steadied herself and shook her head once more. All she can see was glass surrounding them. The room looked like a transparent birdcage with the bed in the middle and drapes flowing from ceiling to floor. "It's still 4:23AM." She glanced at her phone before she squint her eyes to see in the darkened room.

Suddenly, the room was illuminated and Natsuki had to cover her eyes from the blinding lights.

"So, Kuga-san is an early riser I see." A very familiar soft voice with trace of sleepiness was heard by Natsuki.

She searched for the source of the sound and her heart almost jumped out of her rib case when she noticed what the woman was wearing. Or what she was not wearing to be precise.

Shizuru was wearing a pink silky nightie which made the outline of her pert nipple apparent. She was standing near the sofa which Natsuki thought to be where the woman slept or attempted to sleep. Judging from her messy hair which Natsuki found to be more alluring, the woman might not even have a blink.

"I'm going home." Natsuki stated simply before casting her eyes on the floor. Avoiding the tempting view before her.

An amused smile graced Shizuru's lips and she sauntered towards Natsuki's direction. When she was three steps away she began to talk. "And how do you intend to do that?"

"I can walk." Natsuki answered with her eyes still glued on the floor.

"This is an hour ride from the nearest neighborhood." Shizuru lifted Natsuki's chin and urged her to look at her. "I can drive you home." Shizuru half-whispered as their faces came inches apart.

Natsuki visibly gulp with the proximity of their body. It was as if she was put in a trance with the woman's beauty before her. She suddenly lost her ability to speak until her phone rang, waking her up from her entranced state. She put a distance between her and Shizuru before answering the phone.

"Kuga speaking." Natsuki answered while massaging her forehead. She decided to sit on the bed while taking the call. "Yeah. I'm okay. I'm at a friend's party and got knocked down. I'm sorry I lost track of the time. Nothing to worry about. Okay. I'll send you the address. Thank you."

She faced Shizuru after the call while still refusing to look at her. "I got myself a ride."

She stood up when she noticed a figure getting inside the room. Out of reflex, she grabbed the duvet before wrapping it around the surprised Shizuru.

"Is everything alright, Shizuru?" Anh came, wearing almost the same nightie except that hers was a black lacy lingerie. Nothing was obviously underneath it.

"Ahmn." Natsuki coughed because suddenly her throat felt parched. "I-I ne-need to get home now."

Shizuru noticed the stiffness and stuttering of Natsuki. She felt something unpleasant at the pit of her stomach upon seeing how flustered Natsuki was while looking at Anh.

Anh glanced at her cousin and noticed the change in her demeanor. With an amused expression, she sauntered towards Natsuki before wrapping her arms around the younger woman's neck. "Want me to sober you up first?" She said seductively, giving Natsuki the look.

"Ahm." Natsuki was unsure of what to do with her arms which were awkwardly hanging beside her.

Shizuru, not liking what she was seeing in the slightest, decided to intervene. "I think she needs to go, Anh-sama."

"Come on, dear cousin. I don't mind a threesome if you want to join." Anh said, unperturbed. Her eyes were on Natsuki's face which was now beet red.

" _Thank Jesus!"_ Natsuki thought when her phone suddenly rang. "Excuse me." She distanced herself from the two women and turned her back on them.

"I'm sorry. I was about to send you the add-." She stopped when the person on the other line spoke. "Wait, what?" A long pause before she spoke again. "Okay. I'll just find my own ride. It's cool. Take care." She ended the call and looked at the two women.

Shizuru was giving her a triumphant look.

"I'll take your offer." Natsuki said with hesitation.

"Let's continue this in my room." Anh intervened before wrapping her arms around Natsuki.

Shizuru caught the pleading look that Natsuki was giving her. "Anh-sama, she is referring to my offer to drive her home. Besides, do you not have a flight in a few minutes?"

"Oh my God! I completely forgot." Anh face-palmed herself. "I came to tell you that I will be out for another week. I will leave the preparation for the annual ball to your team. I will be back on the night of the ball, though." She held Shizuru at arm's length before hastily going out. "I'll see you next time, Kuga." She winked at Natsuki who just scratch the back of her neck awkwardly.

Natsuki released a breath before throwing herself on the bed once again. This earned her a giggle from Shizuru. "What?"

"Nothing. I am just going to change. I will be back in a while." Shizuru removed the duvet wrapped around her which made Natsuki to close her eyes tightly.

A few minutes passed before Shizuru once again emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing last night's dress.

Natsuki noticed her varsity jacket on the sofa and grabbed it. "Put this on." She handed the cloth to Shizuru who just gave her a questioning look. "It's still cold outside. Your dress is-"She searched for acceptable words "not quite warm. You should probably avoid wearing those kinds."

Shizuru's eyebrow shot up. She let the piece of cloth dropped on the floor. "I will wear what I want and it is not for Kuga-san to tell me what to wear."

"Do you have any idea where you are dropping me off, woman?" Natsuki grabbed the jacket before glaring at Shizuru. Her headache was getting the better of her. "Put this on." She said in an authoritative manner.

"I do not see any reason to wear that." Shizuru started to walk away but was yanked by Natsuki.

"Reason? You want reason?" Natsuki looked into surprised crimson orbs. "Because I don't want you wearing it! I don't want anyone looking at you like you are some kind of a piece of meat! I don't want to hear those bastards' sexual fantasies about you! I don't want anyone disrespecting you because I swear to fucking Jesus Christ that I will chop their hands off if they even try to touch a—"

Natsuki wasn't able to finish her rant when Shizuru suddenly pulled her collar and captured her lips. She froze when she felt the soft pair of the woman's lips on her own. She felt the woman's uncertainty in the kiss until she responded. She held Shizuru's neck and hungrily explored the woman's mouth. She poked her tongue out and urged for entrance which was gladly given.

Shizuru could feel the butterflies in her stomach and the electricity coursing through her body. She felt a foreign thirst and hunger inside her. A hunger which only Natsuki can satiate. This made her gripped on the sides of Natsuki's shirt and pulled the woman further despite the lack of space between their bodies. It was a new experience which her body seemed to be craving for. She felt the bottom of her lips being tugged by Natsuki. Making her moan as the kiss became passionate. Their tongues fought for dominance until Natsuki became gentle before ending the kiss for much needed oxygen.

Natsuki pressed her forehead unto Shizuru's shoulder. "Sorry for yelling at you."

"It's alright." Shizuru felt Natsuki's breath on her neck. "We should probably go now."

Natsuki detached herself from Shizuru before nodding. She retrieved the jacket from the floor but before she can even offer it to Shizuru, the woman already snatched it from her hand and wore it.

"Happy now?" Shizuru asked after securing the jacket on her.

"Yup. Better." Natsuki fixed the jacket before starting to walk.

Shizuru shook her head before following Natsuki. Now she had more questions to herself and the answers might not be as forthcoming as she wanted them to be.

XXX

Hello, readers! It's almost 2019. Oh! How time flies quickly! I really intend to end this in the 15th chapter. This should be done by 2019. No more extension.

I just want to greet everyone a happy new year in advanced but I don't want to do that without dropping at least a chapter.

How was your 2018 so far? Not good? It's okay, we still have a lot to look forward in 2019.


	11. Chapter 11

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 11

It was past nine o'clock in the evening and Shizuru was making sure that nothing was left in the student council room after their last meeting for the annual ball. She flicked the switch on and was surprised to see a figure clothed in black and was fumbling expertly on her laptop.

The figure jumped out of her seat in surprise before it quickly grabbed the USB drive from her laptop.

"Who are you?" Shizuru began before sliding the door closed and locking it. She glanced at the glass wall before advancing forward.

The figure took a defensive stance which made Shizuru do the same. She assessed the intruder who was around six inches smaller than her with lithe frame. Without any warning, she charged forward and was able to throw the figure on the ground at the blink of an eye.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Shizuru uttered before twisting the figure's arm behind its back.

"You're giving me no choice, bitch." The figure spoke and Shizuru heard a static voice, almost mechanical. Obviously, it was using a voice changer. It quickly turned around and was able to get out of her hold. "You're not bad for a snobby rich brat."

"I hate disappointing people even if they are not worth my breath." Shizuru said in a condescending way, provoking the figure.

"Too bad. You're not worth my time. Got something important to do than chitchat with you." The figure smirked before pulling a gun and pointing it at her.

Shizuru was surprised but still stood her ground, showing not a single trace of fear on her face despite her mind shouting for her to flee. She looked at the woman in the eye and that's when she finally recognized their color. It was green but not the same green that she loved to stare at. She shook her head when she realized that she was thinking about the woman despite her being in the middle of danger or worse death.

A loud crash was heard behind Shizuru and shattered glasses rained on the floor. A figure clad in tight leader from head to toe emerged. Only her eyes were visible and they were looking intently at the other figure.

"Time to go." The second intruder stated in her altered voice.

"Can't let any loose end." The first intruder argued back and held the gun with both hands.

"No casualty." The second intruder stated firmly.

"Tch. Whatever." The first intruder returned the gun to its confinement and walked towards the direction of its companion.

"Who says you are allowed to go?" Shizuru tried grabbing the woman by the arm but the second intruder was quick to intervene and held her in place.

"I'll handle this. Go. Now." The second intruder ordered her companion who then jumped down to escape.

"What do you want?" Shizuru answered, trying to wrestle out of the intruder's grip.

"Nothing that's worth risking your life." The intruder answered near her ear which gave Shizuru goosebumps. "I'm letting you go. Don't do anything stupid."

"I don't need your mercy." Shizuru replied before doing a quick turn and hitting the intruder on the stomach.

The intruder's air was knocked out of her lungs. She recovered quickly when Shizuru started its consecutive attacks, making her retreat to the back.

" _Why is she not fighting back?"_ Shizuru wondered when the figure kept on deflecting her attacks without retaliating.

The intruder kept backing without realizing that she was almost near the edge of the room where the glass wall was no longer in place. Out of frustration, she grabbed Shizuru's arm but panicked when she lost her balance, causing both of them to fall. Out of quick reflexes, she was able to grab unto the edge of the wall but not without her forearms being grazed with shards of glasses.

"Fuck. Hold on tight." The stranger secured Shizuru's waist and pulled her closer. She glanced down and noticed that they were four-storey-building from the ground. "Unless you have a death wish, hold unto me woman." She ordered the woman in frustration when she noticed that her arms were just planted on her shoulders.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you? What do you want?" Shizuru asked without moving a muscle.

"Shut up and do as I say or I will drop you." The intruder threatened while still assessing their situation.

"You wouldn't. You could've done it but you still save me." Shizuru argued until she felt something wet on her right hand. "You're bleeding."

"No shit, Sherlock." The intruder almost rolled her eyes. "I'll try to land us on that balcony. Hold on tight."

"How are you supposed to do that with our weight and that's far from-" Shizuru was not able to finish her sentence when the intruder suddenly captured her lips.

Before she knew it, they landed safely on the balcony. Realizations hit her when the intruder broke the kiss. She head butted the intruder, causing her to back away from Shizuru. "Pervert."

"Damn woman. That fucking hurt." The intruder held her mouth where Shizuru's head hit. She glanced down when she noticed the red signal below. "You're welcome by the way."

"I didn't ask for that." Shizuru countered but the intruder jumped off from the balcony even before she was able to finish her sentence. She looked down and saw her speeding away on a motorcycle with someone driving for her. Probably the first intruder she encountered on that night.

"What is going on here?" Shizuru mused before trying to process what occurred recently. "My laptop." She hurriedly went to the student council meeting room.

"What in the world do they want?" Shizuru muttered before looking at the open files on her laptop. "Guests list." She looked at the profiles of the guests on the open windows. "Now, I need to have the security tightened." She looked at the shards of glasses on the floor. "How am I going to explain this?" She uttered with dread.

XXX

"What's with the long face my dear cousin?" Anh looked at Shizuru who was glaring at the piece of paper before her.

"Nothing, Anh-sama." Shizuru answered and looked at the big screen where the student council president can be seen. The woman was monitoring the school activities via video conference with her whenever her schedule allowed.

"That does not look like nothing to me." Anh's eyebrows were crossed and as if an idea came to her, she spoke again. "Is this about Kuga's behavior again?"

Shizuru sighed before leaning on her chair. "Yes. She has been absent for seven consecutive days. No excuse letter or what not."

"And you're worried about her." Anh stated with a teasing tone.

"At this rate, her scholarship grant may be revoked. I'm also monitoring the scholars, Anh-sama. That's part of my duties and responsibilities." Shizuru explained, glancing at the papers.

"Is that really it or are you just missing her?" Anh continued with her teasing.

"Nothing like that." Shizuru dismissed before taking the cup of tea and drinking it.

"So how was the kiss? Is Kuga an amazing kisser?" Anh blurted out.

Shizuru almost choke on her drinks before glaring at her cousin. "What kiss?"

"Oh. I thought you two were kissing when I walked in. My mistake." Anh smiled sheepishly. "So, I can pursue her? No one will get hurt?" Anh smiled at her cousin and gave her a knowing look.

"I'm not the right person to be inquired about her affairs, Anh-sama. You should ask her directly." Shizuru answered after a few seconds of pause.

"I already did. I messaged her." Anh looked at her phone.

"And?" Shizuru arched an eyebrow. _"How come she has Anh-sama's number?"_ She thought.

"And you look interested with her answer." Anh stated before laughing. "I was just kidding, Shizuru. I'm not making any move on my cousin's possession."

"She's not mine neither a property, Anh-sama." Shizuru gave her cousin a hard look.

"Easy there, Shizuru. I mean no harm. Try talking to her. You're letting your steam off on the wrong person." Anh looked at her worriedly.

"I'm sorry." Shizuru released a breath.

"It's okay to admit that you missed her. She's a good kid, just probably distracted with something." Anh said before someone approached her. "Sorry. I need to go now. Meeting in five minutes. Take care and thanks for your hard work."

"Same to you, Anh-sama." Shizuru replied before the video call ended.

XXX

It was past ten in the evening and Shizuru was just driving to calm herself and to think about things. Yes, she may be the daughter of the Prime Minister but her mother, for some reason unknown to her, was encouraging her to be an independent woman. Which means that she was given leeway in doing things on her way.

She was caught on a traffic when she her eyes caught the sight of a very familiar figure walking. The lights turned green and instead of heading towards her destination, she made a quick U-turn which earned her some honks from the drivers. Her eyes never left the figure until it entered the place that Shizuru wished she would never set a foot on.

"What is she doing in a place like this? She is underage for heaven's sake." Shizuru parked her car and grabbed a hoodie jacket at the back before alighting. She looked at the glaring red light which spelled out the name of the notorious bar. "I can't believe I'm doing this." She muttered under her breath as she tried to pass through the crowd of drunken people. Some were shamelessly shoving their tongue down someone's throat.

The loud music made Shizuru want to cover her ears. The bar was consisted of two floors and the first one was crowded with loud and drunk people. Shizuru looked for the bar counter and decided to just look for the familiar woman on that side of the bar. She gestured the barista for a drink before roaming her crimson orbs around. She noticed a few women on the second floor with their normal waitress uniforms serving drinks. "Quite decent than what rumors have." She drunk before a familiar figure emerged from a door on the second floor with a tray of drinks on hand. "She's working here?" She blinked her eyes a few times to assure herself that she was seeing things right. She looked for stairs to the second floor but found nothing. She gestured for the barista to approach her without removing her eyes from the woman. "What do you have on the second floor?"

The barista kept wiping the glass in his hands. "That's the VIP area. You need to pay loads to get inside."

"I'll take one of the rooms. I want her to serve me for the rest of the night." Shizuru said before handing her credit card.

"She's new. Want to avail of our VVIP treatment?" The barista asked, holding unto the card.

"What is VVIP treatment?" Shizuru asked, turning her body towards the barista on the counter. Her hand was still holding her card.

"Sex with the waitress. Lucky bastards." A random patron answered before grabbing a glass away and going to the dance floor.

"It's basically what he said. No taking them out, though. So, are you availing it or not?" The barista said with mild irritation.

"Yes. I want her for myself the entire night." Shizuru closed her eyes tightly to calm herself.

"You got yourself a deal." The barista swiped her card before reckoning someone to assist her. "Enjoy the night."

XXX

Natsuki was carrying a Chateau Margaux with her when she entered the VIP room. "We actually have lights here. My apologies. Your escort might have forgotten to switch it on." Natsuki placed the bottle on the trolley cart inside the room. She switched on the light with her back turned towards her patron. She turned around before addressing her client. "How may I be of service to –" She halted when she recognized the woman sitting on the plush sofa.

Shizuru was wearing a hooded jacket with her arms crossed. She was looking at Natsuki, making her uncomfortable.

"y-you?" Natsuki finished before clearing her throat.

Shizuru gave her uniform a once over. Natsuki was wearing white long sleeve polo and black shorts paired with high-heeled shoes. Her outfit was not giving a way the nature of the club she was in. It was a good front. A good cover.

"Strip." Shizuru ordered.

"Pardon?" Natsuki asked, not sure of what she heard.

"I paid handsomely for your service tonight. I thought they already charged the VVIP treatment that I am supposed to be getting from you." Shizuru said with an arched eyebrow.

Natsuki furrowed her eyebrow before realization hit her. Her smartwatch lit up and she glanced on its message.

" _He's not coming tonight."_

Natsuki released a breath of relief upon reading it. _"Good. Because I have to deal with her tonight."_

Shizuru, not liking the disinterest shown by Natsuki, stood up and shove Natsuki on the nearby bed. Where did that strength come from? Natsuki did not know. What she was sure was that the woman had an unknown amount of strength.

"How much did they pay to get a good fuck from you?" Shizuru said with anger evident on her voice. She harshly yanked Natsuki's polo open, causing the buttons to fly everywhere. "Three hundred thousand yen? Five hundred thousand? Name your price and I will double it." Shizuru said through gritted teeth. Her face was inch apart from the shocked Natsuki.

Natsuki stayed calm and looked at Shizuru who was visibly fuming. "It's not what you think it is, Shizuru."

"Really? So you came here just to satisfy yourself? It's not for money?" Shizuru said, unbelieving. "Very well, then." She said before starting to unbutton Natsuki's shorts.

"What are you doing, Shizuru?" Natsuki asked, her patience was starting to slip away.

"Giving you what you want? You came here for sex, right?" Shizuru said with sarcasm.

"Really? You can give me what I want? You know how to be with another woman?" Natsuki asked with mockery. "You can give me a quote and quote good fuck?" She challenged.

Shizuru's expression turned dark that Natsuki could swear she can see steam coming out of her ears. "You're right. I can't give you a good fuck but you on the other hand can. That's what you are good at after all." She said before sitting down on Natsuki's stomach. "Besides, I already made the payment. It is just proper for me to get the service that I deserve."

"I didn't expect you to be someone who finds interest in this kind of place." Natsuki stared back at Shizuru.

"I didn't know you are desperate enough to sell yourself for money." Shizuru retorted with venom.

"You can be handful sometimes." Natsuki said exasperatedly before sitting down, causing Shizuru to slide down to her legs. The woman was now straddling her. "Since you paid for it. Allow me to add a little walkthrough on how to give your future partner a good fuck. Since that's where I am good at like what you said." She looked into crimson orbs and held Shizuru's neck. The woman stiffened which made Natsuki smirked. She inched her mouth closer to Shizuru's right ear before speaking in her low husky voice. "First, make sure that you are not doing it out of anger." She planted a soft kiss on Shizuru's ear. She grazed the tip of her nose on Shizuru's cheek. "Second, never do it in a pub house." She kissed the tip of Shizuru's nose before giving Shizuru's forehead a lingering kiss which lasted for seconds. "Lastly, do it when she's ready." She whispered before letting her forehead touched Shizuru's.

Suddenly the door slid open and out came another waitress. Natsuki held Shizuru's head and secure it on the crook of her neck to hide her from the waitress.

"I am supposed to serve this room-wait, why are you wearing my uniform?" The waitress gave her a questioning look.

She glanced at her watch and notice that there was another message on it. _"She's awake. Get your ass out of there."_

" _Stupid ass. She could have informed me right away."_ She thought before looking back at the waitress. She felt Shizuru was trying to move out of her hold. "I'm sorry but my girlfriend can be feisty sometimes. She just wanted me to wear the waitress' uniform. To get things more interesting, you know?" Natsuki winked at the waitress.

"But she paid one million yen—" The waitress started but Natsuki interrupted.

"That's for lending me your uniform and this place. Your handler did not inform you? You are off for the night. I was the one who talked to him personally." Natsuki said like it was the truth.

"He probably sent me a message. I fell asleep. Anyway, ahm. Sorry to disturb you. Just continue whatever it is that you are about to do." The waitress bowed before hurriedly going outside.

"That was closed." Natsuki muttered before she was roughly pushed on the bed. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Explain to me what is going on?" Shizuru ordered.

"Or I could continue what I was supposed to do before we were rudely interrupted?" Natsuki suggested with a naughty smile before trying to sit down.

"Natsuki! You pervert." Shizuru said while pushing her down.

Natsuki just smiled at her with her twinkling emerald orbs.

"What?" Shizuru said, suddenly becoming uncomfortable under those fond look.

"This is not how I imagine you calling my name for the first time. I'm not complaining, though. This is a lot better." Natsuki gestured to their compromising position with Shizuru still straddling her.

"Explain to me. Now." Shizuru ordered with finality.

"Dominant. I like that." Natsuki winked before noticing her smartwatch lit up again. She looked at it and her eyes almost bulged.

" _Cops will be there in ten minutes. Get the hell out."_

"Fuck." Natsuki abruptly sat down before speaking to Shizuru. "We need to get out of here. Right now."

"What is going on?" Shizuru looked at the panic-stricken Natsuki.

"Cops will be here soon. You can't be seen here." She explained shortly before putting Shizuru's hood on. "Did you bring any car here?"

"Yes." Shizuru answered before Natsuki grabbed her hand tightly and lead her to the emergency exit.

"Where did you park?" Natsuki asked, dreading the answer.

"Front." Shizuru replied, trying to see in the darkened exit.

"Double fuck. We should hurry." Natsuki cursed as she strode faster.

In record's time, they reached the parking.

"Give me the keys. I'll drive." Natsuki ordered which Shizuru complied with hesitation.

"Do you have any license?" Shizuru answered as she got in the passenger seat.

"I know the road better than you." Natsuki said before starting the car and doing a fast reverse. "Put your seatbelt on."

"Slow down. You're going to get us both killed." Shizuru held unto the dashboard.

"Better than you being caught up in this mess." Natsuki replied before hitting on the gas. "Mr. Prime Minister is going to chop my head off."

Soon enough they were on the safe side of the road. "I'll drive you to your place."

"No. Follow what's on the GPS." Shizuru instructed which earned her a confuse look from Natsuki.

"That's countryside." Natsuki stated the obvious.

"You owe me a lot of explanation." Shizuru stated before removing her jacket and giving it to Natsuki. "Wear it before you catch cold."

"Now you're concern about me catching cold after ripping my clothes off?" Natsuki shook her head in amusement. She switched the car on automatic mode to wear the jacket.

"Shut up and just drive." Shizuru leaned her head on the comfortable seat. "You tired me up."

"But we haven't done anything yet." Natsuki smirked when Shizuru gave her a menacing look.

"Just shut up, Natsuki." Shizuru closed her eyes after turning on the music.

"Goodnight, Ojou-sama." Natsuki smiled before turning her attention back to the road.

XXX

Author's note:

Happy new year! I'm dropping this before I get back to business.


	12. Chapter 12

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 12

To say that Shizuru was mad was an understatement. She was beyond furious with the incident three days ago.

" _How dare she leave me like that? And now she is MIA again."_ Shizuru thought as she poked the steak on her plate.

"Baby, did the poor cow somehow did you wrong during its lifetime?" Her mother can no longer contain her amusement.

As much as she did not like the new attitude that her daughter was showing, she cannot help but wonder what made her overly composed and polite daughter to be acting like an eight-year-old who was denied of her jar of candies by her parents.

"Do you not like your food, honey? We can have something else." Prime Minister Fujino asked, having no clue why his daughter was behaving like that for the very first time.

"I apologize. That was very rude of me." Shizuru discretely took a breath to calm herself and tried to shake the feeling of irritation overwhelming her.

"Are you perhaps on your period, honey?" The Prime Minister asked which earned him different reactions from the two women of her life.

"Papa!" Shizuru half-yelled and almost groaned as she glanced at her butler whose face showed indifference. Good thing they were having dinner at a VIP room of a very private restaurant otherwise, her father's authoritative image will go down the drain.

Her mother just giggled behind her glass of wine. "Love, our baby is just probably having a little quarrel with her lover."

"Oh my God, Mama. Not again." Shizuru almost rolled her eyes. Well, almost. Because she was still too mature to do that in front of her parents.

"Oh, really now? I have been missing a lot on what is going on with you, honey. Do tell what this young man did to you? I promise that I will give him a good lecturing. Women should be loved not be hurt." Prime Minister Fujino put down his wine and looked at his daughter who looked like she was about to throw daggers at her mother.

"It is a young lady, Love. A very intelligent and beautiful one if I may say." Her mother corrected which made Shizuru wanted to sink in her seat. She did not have any idea on what her father's opinion regarding the matter and she was terrified of disappointing him more than losing her own life.

Prime Minister Fujino looked at his wife before looking at his daughter who suddenly found the green leafy thing on her plate more interesting than the conversation at hand. He removed the napkin from his lap and started to stand up when he felt his wife's hand on his arm, with worry etched on her face. He just winked at her before dragging his chair and sitting directly in front of his daughter. He released a breath before lifting his daughter's chin. "Honey, look at me."

Shizuru hesitantly looked at him with fear and hesitation.

Prime Minister Fujino looked at the most beautiful thing that ever happened to his life. He loved these two women more than his own life and it pained him to see his only daughter fearing him and hesitating to open-up. He looked at his daughter and he saw the feature of the only woman whom he deeply fell in love with years ago and still in loved with until the present.

"Honey, I am your father. I love you unconditionally." He held his daughter's face in his hands. "I know you are already capable of making your decisions but for me you will always be a child. My only beautiful child." He looked into crimson orbs which started to glisten with unshed tears. "Your mother and I are here to guide you and lead you to the right path in case you are straying away from it. However, I do not see your preference as a wrong decision. I know some will not understand but whatever makes my daughter happy, I do not care about the opinions of others." He wiped the tears that escaped from his daughter's eyes with his thumbs before gathering her in his arms. "I do not like seeing you fear me. You can be whatever you want, honey."

"Papa, I am afraid." Shizuru held unto her father while burying her face on his neck. His scent always gave her comfort and assurance. Like everything will be alright. She found strength in his arms. "I do not know what to feel or think. I did not like it when she was bugging me but now that she is not around, I am worried and I do not even know why. I am afraid of this feeling, Papa. It is as if I no longer have control over my emotions and my consciousness. I keep thinking about her and it is scaring me. It is scaring me, Papa. I worry about her yet I am also mad at her. I do not even know how she feels nor do I know why I feel these emotions when it concerns her."

"Love has reasons for which reason itself does not know, honey." Prime Minister Fujino soothed his daughter. "Love will let you experience a roller coaster of emotions. It will be hard. It will hurt but if she is the right person, it will be worth everything. As much as I would like to shield you from all the pain that this world will bring you, I cannot do that. Eventually you will get hurt. It is inevitable. However, I can assure you that your mother and I will always be here. We will be here to make sure that you will learn from your mistakes." He smiled at his wife who was discretely wiping away the tears from her face.

"Papa, I am so sorry. I disappointed you and I am still disappointing you." Shizuru held unto the cloth of her father's black kimono.

"Do not be too hard on your self, honey. You will never disappoint me." Prime Minister Fujino re-assured his daughter. "I was also once your age. I know how it feels. You are young and it is okay to live your life the way how you want to."

"I do not deserve you, Papa." Shizuru looked at her father with shame.

"You deserve the world, honey." Prime Minister Fujino caressed his daughter's cheek and gave her that fond look.

"I can hear a "but" coming." Her mother interjected which earned her a chuckle from her husband.

"But if she will keep hurting you, I will not think twice of shipping her in a metal box and let her sink in the Pacific Ocean." Prime Minister Fujino said with all seriousness in his voice which made Shizuru froze in her seat.

"She is just kidding, baby." Her mother interrupted to save her daughter from having a heart attack. "You know your father cannot even hurt a fly."

"I think you forgot that your husband is the Prime Minister of Japan, Love." Prime Minister Fujino cockily said to his wife which earned him a raised eyebrow from the same woman and a confused look from his daughter.

"I know you are my husband, Love." Her mother gave the Prime Minister a meaningful look.

" _Women and their selective attention. Why do they always win?"_ He thought before giving his daughter a reassuring smile and a gentle squeeze before planting a soft kiss on her cheek. "I love you, honey."

"I love you, too. Thank you, Papa." Shizuru fixed herself from the not-so-comfortable position they were in a while ago. Not that she was complaining. It felt lighter knowing that her parents will be there for her under whatever circumstance.

"That is one thing I am truly grateful for, Love." He sat beside his wife after giving her a kiss on the forehead. He cleared his throat before looking at his daughter. "So, when do I get to meet this lucky lady who is sneaky enough to steal my daughter's heart?"

"I have been dying to meet her formally, Love. But our daughter seems to not like the idea of it." Mrs. Fujino smiled at her daughter who gave her a sad look. "Perhaps when they already sort things out, we will meet her. I have her file, though. You can look at it if you want." This time Shizuru was no longer amused.

"Oh, you made a background investigation behind our daughter's back. Women and their curiosity." The Prime Minister shook his head before sipping his wine.

"Not at all, Love. She is my beneficiary." Her mother explained plainly.

"Mama, how sure are you that it is _her_ that I am talking about?" Shizuru asked, not wanting her father to know more about the woman because she herself was uncertain with where they stood at the moment.

"Oh, trust me baby. I know you more than you know your cute little bottoms." Her mother smiled at her teasingly.

"Why are you so impossible, Mama?" Shizuru asked rhetorically.

Prime Minister Fujino decided to intervene. "Whenever you are ready, honey. We can always arrange a dinner with her. But no staying overnight in you room without parental guidance. Your mother and I are too young to be grandparents."

"I would suggest that they just use protection, Love. You know how teenagers' hormones can be. I would rather have them do it in the comfort of our home than in a classroom or some dingy motels." Her mother wiggled her eyebrows at her playfully which almost caused Shizuru to sputter her drinks. She glanced at her butler who shook his head with a smile on his face, no longer blank.

"I love you to death Love but stop torturing our daughter. She is already lighting up like a Christmas light in December." Prime Minister Fujino gave an amused smile which contradicted his statement. "I will make sure your car is tinted, honey. Do not worry about it." He winked at his daughter whose eyes bulged in disbelief.

"The dinner is lovely, Mama, Papa. However, I think you two need some catching up. I do not want to intervene any longer. I will retire for the night." Shizuru stood up before giving her parents a kiss on the cheek each. "I love you both"

"We love you, too." Both her parents said in unison. She found her way out followed by her butler.

"Your daughter just oh so politely walked-out on us in case you did not notice." Her mother brought down the glass of wine.

"You were teasing her too much, Love." Prime Minister Fujino gazed at his wife lovingly.

"And you were not, Love?" His wife arched an eyebrow.

"I love you." Prime Minister Fujino smiled, no longer wanting to argue.

Xxx

Natsuki was sweating hard and catching her breath. She can feel the pain all over her body as she tried to keep her ground. She heard howling, shouting, cheering, and profanities being thrown every now then. The smell of sweat, rust, and everything unpleasant were circulating in an abandon underground train station. There she stood in the middle of the crowd and facing her death. That was a possibility if her accomplice will need more time to get what they needed.

"Stop being a chicken, kid!" One of the men yelled.

"Crush her!" Another yelled.

"Finish her already, damn it!" Another one yelled.

Natsuki's green orbs glanced at her opponent who looked more like a man than a woman with all the muscles in her body. She looked like a flesh-eating monster you usually see on circus eating raw meat. She looked at a group of well-dressed men who were looking down at her from a patio.

" _92% downloading. Hang in there, Kuga. Keep those assholes clueles_ s." _The voice in her micro-earpiece chimed in._

Before she knew it, a hard punch landed on her abdomen which caused her to double over. She swore that if her stomach was full, its content will surely spurt out of her mouth. She was able to keep up with her monster opponent but she seemed to run out of strength and luck already. "Fuck" She muttered when the woman grabbed her by the hair which hurt like hell. Soon, punches were thrown on her abdomen.

"Sorry, hon. You're too beautiful to mutilate." The amazon woman said mockingly before throwing a punch on her stomach again.

Natsuki was able to gather her strength and kicked the woman as hard as she could. "I'll take that as a compliment." She wiped the blood from her mouth as she heaved with her hands on bended knees.

Right then, a man sprawled in between them. He was nursing his groin.

"What a bitch!" He glared at a direction which made everyone turned their attention to.

Natsuki's heart stopped when she saw who was responsible for the man's suffering. As much as she wanted to be proud of what the person did, it was not really the right time to celebrate.

"Keep your dirty hands to yourself." Shizuru uttered with blank expression, looking down at the man.

Natsuki glanced to where the suited men were located and with all the strength and the adrenaline rush, she took two strides at a time before grabbing Shizuru's hood over her head and running away.

"Something came up. We need to go right now." Natsuki spoke while holding her earpiece. "Meet me at point 4."

" _Done downloading. I'll ask about your stupidity later." The voice responded with evident annoyance._

However two men blocked their way.

"Damn." Natsuki gritted her teeth before burying Shizuru's face on her shoulder. "They can't see your face. Please cooperate for now, Shizuru."

"I can take care of myself." Shizuru resisted.

"I know. I know. I believe you but not now." She pleaded through heaved breathing. She prepared herself to fight but right then the two men were down like a jello. She looked at the entrance and her smile widened when she saw a black Hummer in the entrance.

"Let's go." She grabbed Shizuru's hand and ran as fast as they could. She opened the passenger door before shoving Shizuru inside.

"Always in time to save my ass, spider." Natsuki said while heavily breathing.

"Are you fucking serious, Kuga?!" Her red-haired companion's eyes almost bulged when she recognized their plus one through the mirror.

"I'll explain later but we need to get out of here ASAP. To HQ3." Natsuki looked at her accomplice apologetically and avoided Shizuru's eyes. "I swear I will explain." She added when her accomplice whipped her head back and looked at her like she just lost her mind.

"You better do, you useless moron. You are compromising everything." Her accomplice yelled before driving like death was chasing them without any warning at all. Well, it was.

Natsuki held unto the seat near her as she caught Shizuru who lost her balance. She was covered in sweat but the woman seemed not to be bothered at all. Her adrenaline was in full force as her heart kept beating wildly. Never was she that afraid until she saw Shizuru being in a place that she least wanted her to be and be surrounded by people who had lost their senses and morality ages ago. She feared endangering her life. Although she had a lot of questions in mind, she set them aside and instead focus on getting away.

"Put a blindfold on her, you idiot." Her accomplice ordered.

"Sorry about this." Natsuki grabbed a nearby cloth before attempting to secure it around Shizuru's head. But the woman distanced herself. "This is for your sake. The lesser you know, the safer you will be."

"Stubborn bitch." Her accomplice muttered before hitting Shizuru with a tranquilizer.

"What the fuck, Yuuki!" Natsuki glared at her accomplice before catching the limp body of Shizuru.

"No time for your bullshits, Kuga. You cannot even tame your woman." Nao wave her hand dismissively. "She'll be awake in two hours tops."

xxx

Natsuki's palms were planted on the tiled bathroom wall as she let the rushing water above wash away the stress of the day's events. Her physical body was tired but not her mind which was running a hundred miles per second. Tightly closing her eyes, Nao's words kept ringing in her mind.

" _I hate to break this to you Kuga but that woman's father is the person behind your mother's incident and my own. Our lead is crystal clear and that fact is truer than the sun rising from the east. Now, unless you can give me an absolute assurance that she will drop everything for you, I suggest you get rid of her before she becomes a liability." Nao Yuuki gave her a hard look._

" _How certain are we that it is the Prime Minister that is behind all of these? For all we know we might have gotten the wrong lead." Natsuki said unconvincingly._

 _Nao looked at her like she just grew another head. "Don't let your libido get in the way, Kuga. I worked hard for two years to get where I am now. I can drop you in this mission if you're chickening out but I cannot guaranty you that woman's safety. I will proceed as planned at whatever cost."_

" _She doesn't know what that bastard did." Natsuki said through clenched teeth. "Leave her out of this, Yuuki."_

" _I can't promise you anything, Kuga. She might come in handy in the future." Nao folded her arms below her chest as she tilted her head to the screens surrounding them. Different faces were flashed on them. "We're up against giants here. Any form of insurance will be of help." She said meaningfully before changing the display on the monitor. "Ball is in a few days. You have until then to make a decision." She took a nearby dart pin before resuming to speak. "Stay out of my way if you don't want to proceed or else" She threw the dart pin on one of the screens where Shizuru's face was flashed. "she will pay."_

" _Are you threatening me, Yuuki?" Natsuki advanced and gripped Nao's collar._

" _I am informing you, Kuga. Our mothers may be bestfriends but I won't tolerate your stupidity." Nao stared into glaring emerald orbs, unperturbed._

"God damn it." Natsuki slammed her palms on the tiled wall. "Of all people, why does it have to be her father?"

Xxx

Wrapped in a white robe, Natsuki went out of the bathroom after a few minutes. The lone occupant of the bed must have noticed her as she glanced up from the bedsheet which she was staring for few moments already.

Natsuki cleared her throat before speaking. "You must be hungry. We can go down to grab something from the kitchen." She approached the woman tentatively.

Shizuru just gazed at her like she was studying her. Her bare feet were planted on the floor with her hands clasped together. She was too calm for someone who was in an unfamiliar place.

"I'm sorry about earlier. She should have not tranquilized you." Natsuki spoke as she let the towel she was using to dry her hair settle on her shoulders. "It's past eight o'clock. I'm sure you're hungry already."

However, Shizuru just stared at her. Not a word was uttered. She silently stood up until she was a step away from Natsuki.

"Shizuru, are you hurt somewhere?" Natsuki held the woman's shoulders and looked for any sign of injury but none came. The same with the woman's reply.

Shizuru wordlessly tug the tie on Natsuki's robe but the latter was quick to hold her hand in place.

"What are you doing?" Natsuki asked worriedly. She regarded Shizuru's face and noticed the unshed tears.

"Do you not trust me, Natsuki?" Shizuru asked, searching emerald orbs for something that Natsuki could not figure out.

Natsuki released a sigh before letting the woman do what she wanted. "It will not be a pleasant sight."

Shizuru just nodded before untying the robe. Natsuki's body was covered in bruise. She saw some of her skin turning purple. She will not be surprise if those covered by Natsuki's black lingerie were also bruised. She gently traced Natsuki's exposed torso with her fingertips, causing the woman to flinch in pain. "Why?" She finally asked.

Natsuki knew that the one-word question was more loaded than what it seemed. "I can't drag you into my personal problems, Shizuru. I won't. It will be unfair for you."

"Why?" Shizuru asked simply as she planted her palm on Natsuki's abdomen which tightened with the unknown sensation elicited by the warmth of the woman's palm.

"I care about you. I don't want you in this mess, Shizuru." Natsuki answered sincerely as she tried to keep her hormones in check. The warm hand on her body was not really helping.

"Is that why you drove me back to my house instead of going to where I told you to be? You did not even bother waking me up. I could have been kidnapped there. You certainly have a different way of caring for people, Natsuki." Shizuru said with a hint of anger. She peeled away Natsuki's robe and let it pool beneath the woman. If she was surprised with the state of Natsuki's body, she did not show it.

"Shizuru, you don't understand." Natsuki tried to calm her breathing because Shizuru's hands were starting its exploration on her body.

"Because you explained not a thing, Natsuki." Shizuru whispered as her face was only inch away from Natsuki. Emerald orbs were starting to darkened. "Let me show you what caring means." She said before holding Natsuki's face and capturing the latter's mouth.

Natsuki was caught by surprise which Shizuru took advantage of and slid her tongue in. Exploring the crevices of the young woman's mouth. Natsuki felt the anger in the rough kiss but she endured it. What the woman did not utter, she showed it by assaulting her mouth. It was hungry and punishing. Like Shizuru was trying to make a point. But Natsuki was patient. She tried to slow them down but it was futile. She later on found her legs hitting the soft end of the bed. She sat in her half-nakedness while Shizuru was straddling her. The woman's fingers were weaved through her still wet mane. Shizuru's hand slid behind her and she felt the woman's mouth left hers and continued sucking her neck.

"Shizuru." Natsuki moaned and willed every nerve in her body to hold the woman in place. "Stop." She said after feeling Shizuru's finger on the clasp of her bra. "We can't. You're just angry. You don't want to do it."

"I do." Shizuru replied shortly before stubbornly trying to unhook Natsuki's bra.

"No, you don't." Natsuki held her hands and stared into crimson orbs. "And you are hurting me. Physically at least." She indicated her bruised body.

Realization hit Shizuru before she guiltily regarded Natsuki. She was about to stand up but Natsuki held her in place. "Forgive me, Natsuki." She whispered.

"There's nothing to forgive, Shizuru. You didn't do anything wrong." Natsuki gathered her in an embrace.

"I am scared, Natsuki. What have you done to me? I do not know what to feel anymore." Shizuru buried her face in the crook of Natsuki's neck. "I do not want to see you in this state. Please stop putting your self in danger." She begged and sobbed silently.

"Ssshh." Natsuki comforted the woman. "I'm alright. I'm fine. There's no reason to worry."

"Please promise me you will not return to that place again, Natsuki." Shizuru held Natsuki's face and stared straight into emerald orbs.

"I promise, Shizuru." Natsuki yielded to pacify the woman. _"I'm done with that place, anyway." She added in her mind._

"And how did you get there, if I may ask?" She changed the topic and she felt the woman on her lap shifted uncomfortably. "Is Shizuru-Ojousama stalking me perhaps?"

"I saw you and I followed you." Shizuru honestly answered. "You were missing for days already. Now, tell me what were you doing in that kind of place and wrestling with a monster who can beat your ass in the blink of an eye?" Shizuru squinted her eyes.

It was Natsuki's turn to shift uncomfortably. Lucky enough, her stomach chose that moment to complain. "Uh. Uh. That means we should get dinner." She sheepishly smiled at Shizuru who released a sigh before dismounting her.

"We're not yet done talking, Natsuki." Shizuru warned.

"We have all night to talk, Shizuru. But for now, food first." Natsuki went to a nearby drawer to grab a shirt and a short.

Xxx

Author's Notes:

Hello, guys. I wasn't able to update soon. But this story is good as finished in my head. Thanks to your comments, I was reminded that I was keeping you waiting. That is very rude of me. I apologize.


	13. Chapter 13

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 13

Shizuru was regarding the entire place she was currently trapped. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and if her judgment was right, they were in a decent neighborhood and not at the middle of nowhere far from the city. They just finished dinner in comfortable silence and Natsuki insisted on doing the dishes because apparently the young woman did not want to bother her with the work after Shizuru insisted on preparing their dinner.

With a wine in hand, she glanced at the window where the full moon can be seen. She sipped her wine before returning her gaze at Natsuki's back. "I still believe that you should not be moving too much, Natsuki. I do not mind doing the chore."

"Nah. It's fine. I'm almost done anyway." Natsuki replied, continuing with the last two dishes.

Shizuru placed her wine on the table she was leaning on before slowly approaching Natsuki and circling her arms around her. "Will I see you at the ball?" She rested her head on Natsuki's shoulder.

"I'm still thinking about it." Natsuki answered, finishing the last dish.

"I was hoping to have my first dance with you on the ball unless you want me to dance with _strangers_?" Shizuru confessed.

Natsuki turned around and gave a small smile to Shizuru who was looking at her expectantly. "Why wait for the ball when we can do it now?" She removed her gloves and wiped her hands clean. She bowed before Shizuru like a gentleman before offering. "Will Shizuru-Ojousama indulge me in this dance?"

Shizuru did not hide the disappointment she felt. "It will be a different experience, Natsuki."

"It's the same thing, Shizuru. You'll still be dancing with me." She took Shizuru's hands and led her to the expansive living room. "Turn that frown upside-down, Ojou-sama."

Intertwining her fingers behind Natsuki's neck, Shizuru gave in and swayed to the music only known to them. She noticed Natsuki was looking at her with glazed eyes. "What?" She half-whispered, becoming suddenly self-conscious.

"This feels so unreal. I never thought this day would come. You and I dancing." Natsuki confessed, looking at Shizuru like she was the most precious thing her eyes had laid on. "I must be dreaming. Got knocked out or something."

Shizuru closed the distance between them and allowed her forehead to touch Natsuki's. "This is not a dream, Natsuki." She whispered and looked at emerald orbs which seemed to be still debating whether or not everything was just a dream. "I am real."

"What are we, Shizuru?" Natsuki whispered back.

"It depends on what you want us to be, Natsuki." Shizuru answered, glancing at Natsuki's tempting lips.

"Can I kiss you?" Natsuki asked tentatively as she continued swaying their bodies to an unknown rhythm.

"You do not need to ask." Shizuru gave her a smile that reached her eyes.

Natsuki closed the distance between their mouths and captured Shizuru's. It was slow and not impatience. It was not as heated as their previous ones. She took her time in exploring the other woman's mouth and savoring its softness. Her tongue begged for entrance which was gladly granted. She felt Shizuru's hands pulling her and closing what little distance their body had. Soon enough the kiss had to end for much needed oxygen.

"I do not want you kissing other people like that." Shizuru whispered and leaned her head on Natsuki's shoulder.

"I won't, Shizuru. I won't." Natsuki re-assured her and wrapped her arms around Shizuru.

"You belong to me now." Shizuru said possessively and held Natsuki's face on her hands. She looked at emerald orbs searchingly.

"Always, Shizuru. As long as you'll have me." Natsuki smiled at her. She was about to close the distance between them when they heard someone coughing not so loudly at the background. "Buzz kill." She rolled her eyes which earned her a chuckle from Shizuru. "Way to kill the mood."

"Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds but the guest should go before Mr. Prime Minister sent a battalion to look for his missing daughter." Nao dropped a white box on the sofa before comfortably sitting on it and looking up at the two in front of her. "Something to fix yourself." She gestured to the box while looking at Natsuki.

"At least let me help her before sending me back." Shizuru tried to bargain and regarded Nao.

"That will take time and before you're finished with her, a search party might have been sent all over Japan. I'm sure you don't want to cause that much inconvenience, right Fujino-san?" Nao said tauntingly with a raised eyebrow. "A _proper_ lady does not go missing for hours without informing about her whereabouts. When she goes missing without notice that means that she is taken against her will." She retrieved something from her pocket before throwing it at Shizuru's direction.

Shizuru caught the mobile device with ease. "Thank you." She said when understanding dawn on her.

"Not more than a minute, Fujino-san. I don't care whatever lies you're going to come up with. Just don't rat us out. " Nao warned.

"I understand. If you will excuse me." Shizuru held her phone in hand before distancing herself from the two women.

Natsuki retrieved the box from the sofa and opened it. "Didn't know you cared, Yuuki." She glanced at Nao who was now fumbling with her phone.

"Just taking precautions, Kuga." Nao muttered before pressing a button on her phone. The conversation between Shizuru and her father was soon heard. "And confirming the bastard's whereabouts." She gave Natsuki a meaningful look.

Natsuki shove the box aside before pulling Nao by the collar. "You." She hissed. "How dare you trace her home address behind my back?"

"For all we know she's already calling the cops, Kuga." Nao calmly stated, unperturbed.

"I trust Shizuru." Natsuki said through clenched teeth.

"I don't." Nao retorted, giving Natsuki a hard look. "She's the type to choose family over anything else."

"You don't know that." Natsuki said unconvincingly. She found truth in Nao's words.

"You really think that she'll choose you over her father? I'm betting my neck that she'll loath you if she finds out that you're out for her father's head. If you think she'll give up the world for some lower class criminal like you then, wake the fuck up." Nao whispered angrily.

"Shut up!" Natsuki yelled in Nao's face.

"Even in fairytales, Daddy's little princess always runs away with some handsome young prince and not with a poor young maiden. The head of the state will never allow such disgrace to happen to his family. I thought you're smart enough to at least consider the filthy rich people's vanity when it comes to reputation." Nao continued with evident disappointment.

"Shut up!" Natsuki shoved Nao and was about to throw a punch at her.

However, Shizuru was just in time to stop her by hugging her. She was now in between a smirking Nao and a very pissed off Natsuki. "That's enough, Natsuki. Whatever disagreement you two have, violence is not a solution."

That statement made Nao's Cheshire cat grin widened. "Listen to your woman, Kuga. _Violence will not solve anything._ " She finished mockingly. She got up and started sauntering towards Natsuki who was now a little composed. A little but not totally. "We'll be leaving first thing in the morning tomorrow. We don't want Fujino-san to miss the talk-of-the-town annual ball, right?"

Shizuru regarded the familiar black-clad figure of Nao when she remembered something. "Have we met before? I do not think we have been properly introduced."

"Ah. Ignorance is a bliss they say." Nao stretched her arms before letting out a yawn.

"Yuuki." Natsuki said in a warning tone.

"I'm someone irrelevant, Fujino-san." Nao smirked at her. "Until probably a few hours from now. Ciao!" She turned around, waving her hand dismissively.

Xxx

The night of the ball has finally come. Most of the guests were benefactors; some were those who wanted to meet the former for some business matters; others were students. The event was a formal one. Not too lavish but not too humble either. Everyone was in their designers' suits and dresses except the event coordinators who happened to be the members of the student government council. They were required to wear their uniform.

Anh, who arrived just in time, approached Shizuru who was obviously searching for someone. Well that was judging from the unnecessarily stretching of her neck and her red orbs scanning the crowd like a hawk looking for a prey. "I'm sure she'll come. She needs to meet her benefactor."

"I am not sure, Anh-sama. She said she will think about it." Shizuru heaved a sigh before scanning the crowd once again but found nothing.

"I can't blame her for not showing up, though. I myself will not have the courage to face the head of the state." Anh glanced at the direction of the Prime Minister and his wife. "How long will he be staying?"

"Just after he gives his speech. He needs to be somewhere else, Anh-sama." Shizuru explained before drinking from the cocktail glass she had in hand.

"The shorter the time he stays here the better. I'm not too confident with our security team." Anh chugged down the content of glass she was holding before smiling at Shizuru. "I should greet them properly. Thank you for taking care of everything, Shizuru. Try to enjoy the night. Excuse me."

Shizuru continued to greet the other guests until she heard a phone ringing. Knowing that she had nothing on her pocket, she wondered where the sound was coming. She tried to fumble her vest pocket and was surprised to find one, not hers. She went to the nearest empty room to check it. The screen was unlocked and a video popped-out.

The frame showed a tied-up Natsuki on a chair, covered in sweat. She was heaving and a dark-clothed figure was looming over her. The figure then turned around but Shizuru saw nothing but a joker mask holding a knife.

"Boom!" The figure covered the camera with its entire mask. "Now you see. Now you don't" With the blink of an eye the knife disappeared. "Because it's on her!" The masked man laughed maniacally and Natsuki was once again shown with the knife buried on her left shoulder. "Let's try some more."

"No!" Shizuru uttered before covering her mouth.

"No?" The masked man grinned. "Did you say no?" He approached the camera again.

Shizuru was surprised until she noticed the front camera of the phone blinking. "Please stop."

The camera then shifted and Natsuki was shown writhing in pain. The knife was being pushed further by her capturer's boots.

"Stop hurting her. Please." Shizuru begged.

"What do I get if I will stop, young lady?" The figure spoke again.

"What do you want?" Shizuru asked, her eyes were still trying to get a glance of Natsuki.

"Shizuru no! Don't listen to him! Don't do anything!" Natsuki yelled at the background.

"Oh shut up!" The figure pushed the knife further.

"I'm fine, Shizuru! I swear I'm fine!" Natsuki yelled, trying to hide her real condition but Shizuru was no dumb.

"That's very rude of you to interrupt." The figure snapped its fingers and Natsuki disappeared from the frame. It turned its attention back to Shizuru. "Now, where were we? Oh, I remember now. What do I want?" It pretended to think before snapping its fingers like it finally thought of something. "If you would be so kind to follow the coordinates found on the e-mail. Someone will escort you to where you should be. It shouldn't be hard for you to find her."

Just like that the video ended. Shizuru fumbled on the phone and searched for the e-mail. She rushed to the coordinate which was familiar to her. It was the entrance of the school.

"Sorry. Didn't get the invite. Couldn't get in. The guards are kinda good at their job." Nao said after rolling down the window of her Hummer.

"You?" Shizuru uttered unbelievingly.

"Yes, Me. Name is Yuuki Nao. At your service Fujino-sama." Nao said mockingly. "Hop on before I lose my patient. It's not that very much you know." She said rolling her eyes.

"How could you do this to her?" Shizuru asked, full of accusations.

"Personal reasons. Buckle-up." Nao said before driving out of the driveway. When they were at a safe distance, she accelerated to an illegal speed that Shizuru thought she might die on the road before seeing Natsuki.

XXX

The Prime Minister had just delivered his speech when the head of his security team approached him.

"We have a situation, Fujino-sama. The young lady has been held in captivity. They will contact us in twenty-one minutes for negotiations." The man informed with no trace of panic in his voice.

"Do we have any idea of their motive?" The Prime Minister smiled at his wife who was mingling with other benefactors.

"None so far, Fujino-sama. But we have dispatched our special force." The man replied.

"Contained the information. No one should know." The Prime Minister ordered before proceeding to the waiting vehicle.

"Understood, Fujino-sama." The man bowed before distancing himself.

Xxxx

Hello everyone! I apologize for the late update. This chapter will create more questions than answers so, just drop them. The next chapter will provide enlightenment. Hopefully.

On another note, I am still working on school requirements and work deadlines. Plus I went overseas to attend to some matters. Been to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand but did not have the chance to explore. Let me know the best things to visit/do in these countries if you are from any of them.


	14. Chapter 14

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 14

After an hour of death defying ride, they arrived at an abandoned old laboratory. The two were walking down the silent and poorly lit hallway with only the sound of shoes scraping the tiled floor filling the dead air between them.

"Two years ago, not a single fly can enter this place without being detected." Nao suddenly blurted out while walking. Her emerald orbs were focused on the hallway in front of them. "A group of scientists used to own this place. The research started with formulating medicines that were both effective and less expensive, with the commoners being the primary market. The outcome was a success and free medicines were dispensed to hospitals. Patients did not know about the philanthropists responsible for their fast recovery. No faces. No recognition. They were not even aware that those generous donors existed. But nothing escapes the eyes of the government." She paused and glanced at Shizuru who was tailing her silently.

"While it was a relief for the poor, it was a great loss for business tycoons engaged in the manufacturing of medicines. So, they tried to strike a deal with these scientists. They wanted to be business partners but these scientists did not care about money. Unfortunately." Nao smirked. "So, the typical thing that rich people do happened. If they can't have them, they better destroy them. The field was fair and square until the government intervened. Unnecessary documentary requirements were imposed. A lot of testing was done. Excessive taxes were imposed. The scientists' licenses were revoked due to anomalous reasons. Their families were harassed and unexplained death started to occur. These scientists started to disappear one by one. Some were smart enough to leave the country before it became too late. A few survived but most of them died. Then an outbreak of deadly virus occurred. The good Samaritans became the 19th century Hitlers in the eyes of the world. And do you know who spearheaded the investigation leading to the discovery of the alleged perpetrators? Whose candidacy was boosted and finally became the hero of this country?"

"My father did what he should given the circumstance." Shizuru answered with certainty and met Nao's gaze.

"And so did Kuga's mother. But unlike your father, she was forced to abandon her daughter and live in hiding. Unlike your father, her daughter hated her more than anything in this world for leaving her when that was the only thing she knew will keep her child safe. Unlike your father, her daughter was not given the chance to give her a proper burial. She did what she had to but she ended up being a murderer in the eyes of the law and the people when it was the government who manufactured fake medicines and caused thousands of death." Nao halted in front of a metal door.

"Until I hear both sides of the story, it will be premature for me to conclude who was right and who was wrong." Shizuru paused before starting to enter when Nao opened the door for her.

"Kuga's mother was shot dead right in front of her two months ago." Nao closed the door and darkness surrounded them. "The corpse was taken by your father's own elite security team." She retrieved a gun and pointed it at Shizuru's head. "Unlike Kuga, I know what you are capable of Fujino. The head of the state will not allow his daughter to be incapable of defending herself. Try anything and I'll make sure to empty your skull of its content."

Shizuru froze not because of the barrel of the gun touching the back of her head but because of what Nao had said. _"Natsuki's mother died recently? Why did she not tell me? Why would Papa kill Natsuki's mother? No. Papa will never. This must be a misunderstanding. A huge one at that."_ Shizuru tried to calm herself. Since her questions will not be answered anytime soon, she decided to put them at the back of her mind.

Xxx

Shizuru was zip tied to a chair with a black hood covering her head. She can see nothing but heard some fumbling on the keyboard. An expert hand was pressing more than one key at a time. She can hear static sound until a new one was heard. They had companion. Judging from the sound of boots screeching the tiled floor, only one person joined them inside the room.

"It's almost time, Yuuki." Shizuru heard the very familiar voice before her hood was taken off. In front of her was Natsuki who had no trace of having been tortured at all. Natsuki was putting on a black jacket but Shizuru's eyes were quick enough to see her left shoulder which was devoid of any damage which the knife should have caused. If the video she saw was real then, Natsuki's left shoulder should be bleeding or at least bandaged.

"How?" Shizuru asked without noticing that she had blurted out what was supposed to be just a question in her mind.

Natsuki heard it and she looked at Shizuru whose eyes were fixed on her left shoulder. As if to answer Shizuru's question, she approached her and peeled of the jacket showing her clean shoulder. "Nothing to be worried about, Ojou-sama." She lowered herself to Shizuru's eye level and gave her a smile that did not reach her eyes. "I'm fine."

"Why?" Shizuru asked, looking directly at emerald orbs. Searching for any clue that the woman's face might give away.

"The first thing that my dad thought me was how to play chess. It is a game of strategy." Natsuki ignored the question. She straightened herself and went to a nearby table where ammunitions were placed. "In that game, sacrifices must be made in order to beat the opponent. Usually, the pawns are the sacrificial lambs. At least for me. Do you know what my favorite piece is?" She picked a revolver and checked its load.

"Queen" Shizuru answered shortly.

Natsuki grinned at her. "Smart guess. It's the most powerful piece. It can move anywhere. Usually, I sacrifice other pieces just to save it from being taken away from me." Natsuki paused and looked straight into Shizuru's eyes. "But if it means weakening the opponent's defense, I'm more than willing to sacrifice it. After all, the goal is to beat the _King_. _Pawns_ can be turned into another _Queen_. Destroy a _Queen_ and you may still have one in the field. But make the opponent _King_ loses its _Queen_ , victory is apparent. Especially if that King has no pawn left."

"I am that piece you are willing to sacrifice to get to the King." Shizuru stated with hurt evident in her voice.

Natsuki approached Shizuru and lowered herself until she was facing her. She caressed her cheeks before slowly inching her face closer. When Shizuru did not avoided the contact she captured the woman's lips briefly. "No, Shizuru. I am." She whispered before she felt the electric shock on her right arm.

"It's showtime, Kuga." Nao announced from the table full of control tabs and wires. The screen in front of Shizuru came to life and revealed the prime minister.

" _Gag the Princess, Kuga."_ The voice from her earpiece commanded before another electric shock coursed through her right hand. Natsuki silently hissed in pain before retrieving a gag and gently placing it on Shizuru's mouth. "Time for negotiations."

"What are your terms, young lady?" The Prime Minister spoke in a very businesslike and calm manner. His hands were clamped together in front of him.

"I have 6 questions and two bullets, _Sir_." Natsuki flipped the revolver and placed the three bullets in the cylinder before flipping it closed. "A slight dishonesty will send one of these bullets buried directly to your daughter's skull."

"Understood." The Prime Minister nodded slowly.

"First question. Where is the formula?" Natsuki asked, holding the revolver with her left hand and pointing it directly at Shizuru's forehead.

" _Natsuki is not a leftist."_ Shizuru observed instead of worrying about her life. _"Why is she using that hand instead of the right one?"_

"What formula?" The Prime Minister asked which triggered Natsuki to pull the trigger.

"I ask the questions. You answer them, Sir." Natsuki gave the screen a cold glare. "Unless your special force can save your daughter faster than my hand pulling this trigger, you better adhere to my rules." She said with a hint of annoyance. "That's 5 more left. Two out of five. The odds might not be in your favor next time, Sir." She glared at the Prime Minister. Not a single glance was given to Shizuru. "Let me be specific. Where is the vaccine's formula that you have stolen two years ago?"

The Prime Minister's gaze was fixed on the screen. His eyes squint trying to assess his daughter's condition without being noticed by her kidnapper. "Ask the right question and you will get the right answer, young lady." He answered in a calm voice.

Natsuki pulled the trigger and once again, no bullet came out. "Two out of four. Your daughter's chance of survival is getting thin by the minute. In case you haven't notice it yet, Sir."

"Sometimes you need to sacrifice your own Queen in order to bring down the opponent's King, young lady." The Prime Minister answered cryptically and both Shizuru and Natsuki's attention got glued to him. "But more importantly, things are not always what they seem, right Kuga-san?"

This time it was Natsuki's turn to be dumbfounded until an electric shock coursed through her right arm once again, causing her to pull the trigger. _"Ask him where the virus is, Kuga."_ The voice ordered over the earpiece.

"Where is the virus?" Natsuki asked with a blank face. "Two out of three. Choose your words carefully, Sir."

"Is that really the question you want me to answer?" The Prime Minister asked her unperturbed.

Natsuki pulled the trigger and fortunately no bullet came. "Two out of two, Sir. The next shots will go directly to your daughter's head. Answer the goddamn question. Where is the virus?"

"It is in your mother's head. She did not give it away. None of them did." The Prime Minister answered truthfully.

"Don't feed me with bullshits!" Natsuki yelled before pulling the trigger and the bullet landed between Nao's feet. "

"You have your answer now release my daughter." The Prime Minister bargained until he noticed a red dot pointed on Shizuru's left chest but Natsuki was quick to adjust herself so that the red dot was now on her.

Suddenly, Nao yelled out of nowhere. "All green!"

Natsuki ran towards Shizuru to cover her body with hers. Two seconds later, the sound of series of explosions were heard. The three women's ears were failing and it took Natsuki a few moments to understand what Nao was saying.

"Exit point 23South! Now!" Nao yelled in her face after cutting Shizuru loose. She gave Shizuru a gun before pressing a button near the chair where Shizuru was.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Yuuki?" Natsuki half-yelled. Her ears were still ringing.

"Anyone can shoot better than you if you're in that state. She might need that later. Come on and stop asking stupid questions." Nao yelled before leading them to a tunnel. "And ask your questions later, Fujino. I don't have time for that."

The three continued their way until they were lead to a hallway. Three men appeared and luckily they were quick enough to hide.

"What's taking your father's elite force too long?" Nao asked Shizuru who gave her a raised eyebrow. "I'm not stupid. I've noticed you giving him Morse code with your eyes." She almost rolled her eyes.

"You do realize that you are the kidnappers in this scenario, right?" Shizuru asked Nao.

"She's right. Yuuki, I'll try to hold them off. Go take Shizuru to Exit 23East. That's probably where the elite force will try to enter. Don't get caught, though." Natsuki addressed Nao without looking at Shizuru.

Exchange of gunshots was heard and Nao quickly retrieved her tablet to access the camera. "That's Exit 23SouthEast. We're two minutes away. Can you hold that long?" Nao announced.

Natsuki just nodded her head before starting to proceed the other way but Shizuru halted her. "You're coming with us." She said with finality.

"I can't. We will be blown to ashes if I come anywhere near that area." Natsuki pulled the sleeve of her right jacket where a bracelet was secured around it. "It will detonate if I try to escape and that is the prohibited exit point."

"I'm not letting you die here, Natsuki." Shizuru insisted.

"She won't if you will stop whining and come with me instead. I need to get to Exit23SouthEast to remove the trigger point there so, Kuga here can walk out of here in one piece." Nao explained with impatient.

"Can you really do that?" Shizuru asked with evident doubt.

"Yes. But if you insist, you two can be cremated here free of charge. Now, let's go before we run out of time." Nao urged before going to the exit's direction.

"Go now, Shizuru." Natsuki pushed Shizuru inside the elevator before pulling the lever to close it manually. Without looking back, she went the other way.

XXX

"Stay here. Help will be here in less than a minute. I need to get to the trigger point to – " Nao wasn't able to finish her sentence when they heard a loud explosion from the floor where they came from. "Kuga—" She immediately checked her tablet only to see nothing. "This can't be unless she attempted to remove it. She can't be that stupid." She continued fumbling with her tablet.

"Natsuki. What happened to Natsuki?" Shizuru asked in panic-stricken voice.

"They're here." Nao muttered after hearing nearing heavy footsteps. She turned around before quickly tranquilizing Shizuru. "Sorry but you need to stay here. I don't want Kuga's sacrifice to be in vain."

"Please save her—" Shizuru pleaded before she lost conscious.

"I wish I could." Nao's shoulder slumped as she leant Shizuru's limp body on the wall before leaving her. "But me getting caught here will not help either."

Xxx

Eight hours later and Natsuki found herself inside the four-walled interrogation room.

"I want that phone call." Natsuki stated without even looking at the person who entered the room.

"This conversation is privileged, young lady. No one is behind that glass." The Prime Minister said with obvious amusement in his voice. "Judging from your reaction, I take it that your right shoulder does not need immediate medical attention. In my opinion, we should probably have it treated immediately to avoid any scarring. That will not do such a beautiful young lady any good."

"Then I don't have anything to say to you." Natsuki folded her arms and leaned on the chair.

"Perhaps. But I am certain that you have a lot of questions, young lady. This is your chance. Allow me to humor you. I will show you the results of real peace talk. I have nothing to ask you but you, on the other hand, have a lot on your mind. Ask them away and I will answer them. Just remember to ask the right questions, though." The Prime Minister stood when someone knocked on the door. He returned with a platter of food on hand. "I do not like starving my guest. My daughter will not like it either."

"How is she?" Natsuki's interest was suddenly piqued.

"She is fine but her mother insisted that she get checked. Rule number 1: Never oppose The Lady Boss. It will help to remember that." He placed the food before Natsuki. "Help yourself. I'm sure you are starved."

"Why did you kill my mother?" Natsuki asked, ignoring the food. She lost her appetite hours ago.

"Why did you not kill my daughter?" The Prime Minister retorted back with a smile.

"I am not a murderer." Natsuki answered shortly.

"Neither am I." The Prime Minister retorted with a smile.

"I thought you're here to answer my question." Natsuki bantered back.

"You are smart and straightforward. I cannot fault my daughter for taking a like on you." The Prime Minister answered before helping himself with a cup of tea. "I did not kill your mother. I saved your mother."

"What do you mean you saved my mother? I saw her bleeding to death before my eyes." Natsuki almost hissed before she leaned forward in an intimidating way.

"I think I need to change this game. How about you eat that burger first then, I will answer all your questions after this phone call? You have two minutes before I get back. Leave it untouched and you can forget about all the answers to your questions." The Prime Minister excused himself, leaving Natsuki no option.

True enough, he returned after two minutes.

"You can be obedient if you want to." The Prime Minister commented before taking a deep breath. "Your mother is alive." He said, looking at Natsuki who looked at him like he just lost his head. "The men who tried to assassinate her were members of a terrorist group who wanted the formula for the virus. The one you were asking about which I doubt you have enough knowledge of. We were able to intercept the vehicle loading your mother and retrieved her. We kept her underground until fully healed." He paused and changed his position to make him comfortable.

Natsuki leaned forward, trying not to miss a single detail.

"Your mother was part of the group of scientists who were able to discover a very effective and inexpensive medicine for all types of cancer. During the experiment, they were able to discover how the same cancer cells can be extracted and be mutated into a very dangerous virus. It was too late when we realized that there were moles in that group. The virus was dispensed with together with the medicines. This caused thousands of mortality confirming its effect. We found out who the culprits were and had to save our scientists' lives. We sent them across the globe. Changed their identity and took care of their families. The one who took care of you was one of my special and highly-skilled agents. He was not your real father. This experiment had started long before you were born, young lady. It went out of hand just two years ago. I knew they will keep you unharm as long as your mother is still alive. They also knew that your mother will eventually disobey me and come home to you." He paused. "Which she did. Your mother loves you. Do not ever doubt that. Your real father's whereabouts is not my story to tell but your mother's. I have arranged for your meet up. Until I totally wrap things up here, I need you overseas. Not for long hopefully. My daughter will loathe me if I do that."

"But the corpse?" Natsuki asked, overwhelmed by the news.

"Is not real. It was your mother's idea for you to stop looking for her and to keep you safe." The Prime Minister took another sip from his tea.

"I put your daughter's life in danger." Natsuki said with a hint of shame.

"You lead us to the head of this terrorist group. My daughter is still alive and in one piece. I understand what you did but I am not sure if my wife will." The Prime Minister gave her an unsure smile.

"I'm sorry, Sir." Natsuki suddenly found the table more interesting than anything else in that moment.

"Fix yourself. I hate seeing my daughter in pain. If my wife does not see your relationship with my daughter healthy, I have no reason to oppose." He said before standing to leave Natsuki. "I wish to meet you again under a better circumstance, young lady. Until then."

Natsuki was left massaging her forehead. The pain on her right shoulder was starting to make its presence known.

Xxx

Hello, readers! Took me too long, right. Well, that's life. I hope this chapter answers most of your questions. I also hope that you are winning in life. In whatever aspect of it. Keep breathing and stay alive. Mental health matters.


	15. Chapter 15

Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise

XXX

Chapter 15

Thirty-six hours passed and Natsuki was walking down the hallway of the Fujino's mansion following the Prime Minister who suddenly became her warden.

"Let us just say that the little stunt you pulled hit the nerve of the head of my security team right." The Prime Minister broke the silence between them, explaining the unnecessary amount of security persons in the area. There was a black man in uniform for every two-meter distance.

Natsuki scratched the side of her face with her good left hand, her other arm was put on a sling thus, limiting the limb's movement. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, young lady. Not everyone here knows who you are. These gentlemen should be the least of your concern." The Prime Minister halted before a big door towards a dojo where two uniformed men were standing still. "But the ladies inside might be." He winked before opening the door.

Natsuki's face contorted in confusion before the door revealed who was sitting inside.

"This is your only chance to speak with my daughter. She does not know anything other than what she already knew. Your matter is for you to share not mine." The Prime Minister explained. "However, I must warn you that before you can speak with her, you must speak with my wife first. Just a word from her and I will escort you out if she deems necessary." He gestured the security to leave which the two gladly obeyed. "By the way, the tea is the first test." He then went inside where Shizuru's mother was serenely sitting near a tea table.

"We have a guest, Love." Prime Minister Fujino addressed her wife. "I believe no introduction is further needed here. You know her better than I do."

Mrs. Fujino fixed her cold gaze on the stiffened Natsuki who was probably holding her breath the moment she saw Shizuru's mother.

"We do not mind you joining us, young lady." Prime Minister Fujino invited when his wife merely looked at Natsuki.

Natsuki did as told. She sat in front of the two elder Fujinos, her eyes finding the tea cups more interesting than anything else.

Mrs. Fujino silently poured her a cup of tea before carefully pushing it in front of her. She looked at the Prime Minister who just nodded at her, silently telling her to take it.

"Thank you." Natsuki said shortly before taking a sip from the cup but before she can even finish a quarter of its content, her taste buds revolted. _"What the hell is this?"_ She mentally asked before looking at Mrs. Fujino who was hiding before her tea cup. Her expression not changing at all.

Mrs. Fujino placed the empty tea cup down which made Natsuki cringed. "I do not want you hurting my daughter any further."

Those words made Natsuki froze as if a bucket of water was poured down on her. A few blinks and seconds passed before she found her voice. She looked at Prime Minister Fujino whose expression became hard and almost empty at the same time. She gathered herself before speaking. "I understand your decision Fujino-sama. There's nothing I can do to fix what I did. I put your daughter's life in danger. For that I am very sorry. I don't have the right to ask for your forgiveness after what I did. I don't even deserve to be sitting here. I'll do whatever you want. That's the least I can do."

"Leave this country." Mrs. Fujino said shortly.

Dead silence filled the air before Natsuki spoke. "As you wish, Fujino-sama." She answered dejectedly. "But please allow me to see Shizuru for the last time."

"How was the tea?" Mrs. Fujino asked, not answering her question.

"Not my cup of coffee, Fujino-sama." Natsuki answered truthfully which earned her an amused look from Prime Minister Fujino.

"This will not be our last conversation, young lady." Mrs. Fujino started to stand-up with the Prime Minister following suit. "If you will excuse me."

"First door to your left." Prime Minister Fujino instructed while holding the door for his wife. "Do not add another injury to your body. Your attending physician might not take it well." He let his wife out before continuing. "My daughter might be less merciful. I highly advise you not to take too many blows. I will not fault you for caring for your safety this time."

Natsuki was planted on her feet wondering what the Prime Minister was talking about. She walked towards the last door. "Here comes nothing." She muttered before opening the door.

The view of Shizuru's back welcomed her. The woman was in all black gym clothes with black sports bra on top. Judging from the sweat glistening her body, she must be doing more than just cardio exercise.

"Took you forever to finally show up." Shizuru put down the water bottle after emptying its content. She turned towards Natsuki who was looking at her with expressions she cannot point a finger on.

"I came to apologize." Natsuki answered shortly, noticing how Shizuru's eyes narrowed at her right arm suspended on sling.

"Remove that and spar with me." Shizuru instructed, looking directly at Natsuki's hesitant eyes.

Natsuki had no choice but to obey. She discarded the arm sling and prepared herself. "I did that because I didn't want you getting hurt." But before she can even finish her sentence, she found herself flipping in the air before landing on her back. Good thing the mat was thick enough to save her bones from breaking.

"Get up." Shizuru ordered with obvious disappointment. "I expected you to be stronger than that. After all, you tried to play the invincible hero all alone."

Natsuki stood up with less difficulty. She stood her stance but did nothing. "Shizuru, I was only trying to protect you. If I allowed Yuuki to execute the plan, your safety will not be guaranteed."

"Attack. Show me what you learned from your crash courses." Shizuru went into a defensive position but Natsuki did not move a muscle. "I do not like repeating myself, Natsuki."

"I don't want to hurt you." Natsuki pleaded with her eyes.

"Very well then. You may go." Shizuru went into a relax position before starting to walk away.

"Damn it." Natsuki said through gritted teeth. "Fine, I'll attack."

"Stop talking and start doing it." Shizuru challenged. "No need to hold back."

Just as what Natsuki said, she attacked. But all her offensive attacks were deflected.

"How are you supposed to protect me with these basic skills you learned? My twelve year old cousin can do better than you." Shizuru mocked before grabbing Natsuki's injured arm and twisting it behind her. "I hope this settles the fact that between the two of us, it is you who needs more protecting. Nat-su-ki."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know, Shizuru." Natsuki said through pain.

"You didn't know because you never asked." Shizuru twisted her arm further. "You never allowed me in, Natsuki. You think you can solve everything on your own." Her grip around Natsuki's wrist tightened. "You always assume that I am weak. How selfish of you to show up anytime it is convenient for you. How selfish of you to keep me worrying about you. How unfair of you to get me into trouble without even telling me what I am tangled with." She released Natsuki before throwing a punch which Natsuki was able to deflect. She held Shizuru's arm and pulled her instead. Shizuru tried to free herself but to no avail. Her emotion was getting the better of her. "But what saddens me more is the fact that you cannot trust me enough to share with me your truth." Shizuru whispered when Natsuki held her closed.

"I'm so sorry, Shizuru." Natsuki held Shizuru's head closer. "You're right. I'm selfish. I bring nothing but harm to you." She released Shizuru and held her at arm's length. "You don't deserve to be hurt like this. You don't deserve to be involved in my mess. I ruined your peaceful life, Shizuru. For that I am very sorry. I will understand if it will take you time to forgive me. I am not even expecting it. You don't have to forgive me, Shizuru."

Shizuru removed herself from Natsuki. "What are you trying to get at, Natsuki?"

"You deserve someone better, Shizuru." Natsuki said, holding back the tears. She had to be strong otherwise, she will run out of time.

Shizuru looked at her like she had just grown another head. "Good gracious. I cannot believe I am hearing this from you right now." She said in disappointment.

"Hear me out, Shizuru." Natsuki tried to hold Shizuru's arm but the latter just swat her hand away. "You will be safer when I am not with you."

"What is it this time? A mafia boss running after you? A leader from the black market? A yakuza leader? Do I really have to always play charade with you? For once Natsuki. Be honest." Shizuru said with exasperation.

"I need to leave the country tonight." Natsuki explained but was interrupted by Shizuru.

"And you are only telling me this now?" Shizuru said with dismay.

"I don't know when I will be coming back or if I am even allowed to come back. I just committed a crime, Shizuru. Right now, I am a threat to national security. I can be sentenced to death." Natsuki explained.

"You are a minor, Natsuki. I am certain that Papa will not allow that." Shizuru dismissed. "Stop making excuses and just tell me that you are a coward who loves to escape from her problems."

"Call it cowardice but if that will keep you out of this mess then, I'll gladly accept it." Natsuki resigned.

"Fine then. Do whatever you want." Shizuru said before turning her back to Natsuki. "After all, only your opinion matters. It is not as if my take on this matter is relevant. That is what you are good at. It is you who should always make the decision. Doing things on your own is your expertise." Shizuru faced her for the last time. "You are probably right. I deserve someone better. Someone who is willing to share her burden with me. Someone who trusts me enough to get me involved in her life."

Natsuki urged every muscle in her body not to rush out and stop Shizuru from leaving. _"This is the best solution, Kuga. She's better off without you. Leave her alone."_ She closed her eyes and mentally convinced herself. Shizuru was no longer in the dojo room when she opened her eyes.

xxx

One year later in a five-star hotel in London

"Mama, may I please go back to Japan after three days. My student council works are piling up. I do not want to cause any more inconvenience to Suzushiro-san than I already did." Shizuru pleaded to her mother for the nth time.

"It is school break, honey. I am certain that a little break will do you some good. You have been working hard for the entire year. Too hard if I may say. After this event, I will let you go if you still wish to." Her mother smiled at her through the mirror while fixing her diamond earrings. "Shall we? I am certain Reito-san is already waiting at the lobby."

"We shall, Mama." Shizuru smiled happily because finally her mother agreed.

Xxx

Shizuru and her mother, with Reito in tow, walked into a university gymnasium where an assembly of students were waiting patiently on their seats. Shizuru had to stop on her track when a very familiar figure approached them. It was the same woman yet so different now. It has been a year and based on what she was seeing, a year did the woman good. She looked better. Way too better.

"Fujino-sama, thank you for coming with such a short notice. I apologize for the mishap with the communication." Natsuki smiled apologetically to Shizuru's mother. She was in her soccer team varsity uniform.

"Nothing to be worried about, young lady. My schedule is cleared for this month." Mrs. Fujino smiled at her. "Besides, I want to personally congratulate you for helping the team win during last month's regional meet. This climate change campaign is a global thing that must be taken seriously. I am glad that you are helping these children realized the importance of their participation."

"Thank you, Fujino-sama. Nothing will ever materialize without your financial assistance." Natsuki said genuinely.

"It is a win-win for me, young lady. Corporate social responsibility and visibility of my company in the global market. I should be thanking you for endorsing my company." Mrs. Fujino winked at her.

"Your speech will start whenever you are ready, Fujino-sama." Natsuki gestured towards the waiting mass of students.

"If you would be so kind enough to escort my guests to their seat, I will be most grateful. I might take longer than they want to stay standing." Mrs. Fujino gestured towards her daughter's direction.

"Of course, Fujino-sama. No problem." Natsuki asked another student to assist Mrs. Fujino towards the podium before approaching Shizuru and her companion.

"Good afternoon. Sorry to keep you standing. I am Natsuki Kuga. Kindly follow me for your seat." Natsuki greeted the two guests, Reito's hand holding Shizuru was not lost to her.

"Reito Kanzaki. Congratulations for winning the regionals. It was a good game, Ms. Kuga." Reito smiled warmly at her.

"Thank you, Mr. Kanzaki." Natsuki smiled back. "Ms. Fujino, Mr. Kanzaki, this way please." She led them towards their seat.

The speech only lasted for fifteen minutes before everyone soon started to disperse.

"Kanzaki, my man." A very enthusiastic teenage boy suddenly approached the three of them. "It's so good to see you again."

"Hey, Harvey! How is it going?" Reito replied with the same enthusiasm.

"Great. Really great. We'll be throwing a party tonight at the university campus. Guests are welcome to join us. Don't worry, it's safe but lit. Your girlfriend here can tag along. So, you coming?" The teenage boy asked.

"Yeah. Sure." Reito agreed without having a second thought. "I'm not sure with my companion, though."

Right then, a tall blonde woman came in and wrapped her arms behind Natsuki. "I'll be your date tonight." She said before kissing Natsuki on the cheek and winking away. "See yah later."

"Some of us are just not that lucky." The teenage boy interjected. "Damn. I'll do anything to date that bombshell."

"I'll come." Shizuru suddenly blurt out causing the attention of the three to turn to her.

"That's cool! It's at nine. Just give me a ring and I'll come to pick you up." The teenage boy fist-bumped Reito before going on her way.

Natsuki excused herself to speak with Shizuru's mother.

"Are you alright, Shizuru-san?" Reito asked, concerned.

"Yes, I am Reito-san." Shizuru gave her a very calm smile.

"You were squeezing my hand so hard a while ago. Do you happen to know that woman?" Reito asked with curiosity.

"No, not at all." Shizuru said, her eyes never leaving Natsuki's back.

Xxx

Shizuru found herself attending a campus party instead of jetting her way back to Japan. True to his words, Harvey accompanied them and gave a few facts about the campus including gossips.

"Then there's Kuga. Campus crush. Walking Google. Best soccer player. An immigrant. Number one target of flirty hormonal boys and girls. Cold. No confirmed relationship but linked to a lot of people." Harvey parroted as he chugged his beer down.

"The bombshell following her is none other than Margareth. Head of the cheer team. Ms. Popular. Rich mom and dad. Heiress. Head-over-heels on Kuga. If that is not yet obvious. Tonight's probably her lucky night. Kuga never allows anybody to invade her personal space like that." He continued, pointing out how the woman was clinging to Natsuki. "Rumor has it that Kuga has an overseas girlfriend. Well, looks like long distance relationship didn't work at all. Someone's surely getting laid tonight."

Reito observed Shizuru's grip tightened on the beer she was holding. She looked at the woman before looking at the direction of her blazing red orbs. If looks could kill, Natsuki would have been dead. "Hey, Harvey. Mind introducing me to that bombshell?"

"You sure, dude? Your girlfriend is kinda here, you know?" Harvey's eyes travelled to Shizuru.

"Don't worry about her. She won't mind." Reito reassured him.

"Okay. Follow me." Harvey started towards the direction of a group of high school students talking loudly.

xxx

Shizuru was left alone. "I need a hard drink." She went to the bar to order for one.

"Looks like your boyfriend is keeping all the fun to himself. What kind of boyfriend leaves her girlfriend alone in a damn campus party?" Natsuki suddenly came out of nowhere.

"You're one to talk." Shizuru rolled her eyes before chugging down the tequila shots. "Keep them coming."

"You shouldn't be drinking too much." Natsuki furrowed her brows towards the innocent shot glass.

"Go back to your slut." Shizuru emptied another glass.

"It's rude to call people names." Natsuki said seriously.

"It's rude not to mind your own business." Shizuru retorted.

"What's wrong with you?" Natsuki asked.

"What's wrong with me?" Shizuru echoed before laughing almost sarcastically. "No, what's wrong with you Natsuki? I'm sorry but not everyone can act as cold as you, like nothing happened. I'm sorry because unlike you, I can't act like we're just strangers meeting for the first time." She grabbed another glass and emptied it in one go.

"I'm not having this conversation." Natsuki said with exasperation.

"Of course you don't want to have this kind of conversation. So, go back to your whore. Leave. That's what you are good at. Escaping from your problems like they will be solved on their own. Go back to your friends and pretend that this conversation did not happen." Shizuru said with obvious annoyance.

"Since when did you become this confrontational?" Natsuki closed the distance between them and lowered her voice. She didn't want people hearing their conversation. Luckily, everyone was busy in their own little world. Shizuru was still sitting on the bar stool.

"Since the day you stopped caring." Shizuru answered with obvious hurt in her voice.

"I never stopped caring about you." Natsuki emphasized as she lowered her face to Shizuru's.

"You surely care a lot that you never show your face for over a year. If that is caring then, I do not know what is not." Shizuru said mockingly.

"I cared about you enough that I had to do what your mother wanted because I knew that it will help me become a better person. I cared about you enough that I wanted to do everything just to deserve you. I cared about you enough that I am willing to forgo seeing you for two years just to prove myself to your parents. I care about you a lot that I am letting you go because I know that you are with someone better now. I care about you a lot that I will not mind getting hurt just to see you happy and safe, Shizuru." Natsuki looked at Shizuru with unshed tears.

Shizuru caught a sight of Margareth walking towards their direction with her friends cheering her on. Having an idea of what the woman was about to do, she grabbed Natsuki by the collar of her jacket before crashing their lips. She heard a unison "ooohh" at the background which encouraged her more because her theory about what Margareth was about to do was right.

Natsuki held Shizuru in place because the woman's sense of balance was already off. She tried to break the kiss but Shizuru was not letting her have her way. Shizuru instead deepened the kiss causing Natsuki to get lost in it.

"Shizuru, you have a boyfriend." Natsuki reminded Shizuru when their kiss ended.

"Idiot. He's my cousin." Shizuru buried her face on Natsuki's shoulder.

"Ooooh." Natsuki said, finally understanding the situation.

"Is that all you're going to say?" Shizuru said with disappointment.

"Can I pursue you?" Natsuki asked.

"Are you kidding me? I already kissed you countless times for heaven's sake, Natsuki." Shizuru said with exasperation.

"Will you be mine?" Natsuki rephrased her question.

"You need to work for that." Shizuru answered. "For now, bring me back to my hotel. I think my vision is starting to get funny."

Natsuki glanced down at the waiter who raised seven of his fingers. "I hope you remember all of this when you sober up tomorrow."

Xxx

Shizuru woke up to a severe headache.

"Hangover is a bitch, right?" Natsuki asked uncertainly while standing near the door. She wasn't sure if Shizuru remembered last night's events.

"Why are you standing there?" Shizuru asked massaging her forehead.

" _Of course it was the alcohol talking."_ Natsuki thought sadly. "I'll get you some medicine. Your mother is out for a meeting."

"No, I don't need any medicine." Shizuru shook her head. "I need my morning hug." She spread her arms widely in a childish manner.

"What?" Natsuki asked confused.

"I thought you wanted me to be yours." Shizuru pouted which made Natsuki's heart almost leap out in joy.

"Of course." Natsuki grinned before approaching the bed. Shizuru wrapped her arms around Natsuki's neck and her legs around her torso. "I need to go to the bathroom." She said before burying her head on Natsuki's neck. "Am I heavy?"

"Nope. Nothing that I can't carry." Natsuki said before putting down Shizuru near the sink.

Shizuru started washing her face and brushing her teeth while Natsuki just watched her with amusement. "I drank too much, didn't I?" Shizuru asked Natsuki who handed her a facial towel. She hopped on the counter top and started drying her face.

"Yes, Ojou-sama. A little too much. In my opinion." Natsuki placed herself in between Shizuru's legs while the woman wrapped her hands around her neck.

"Make this headache go away." Shizuru complained before she leaned her forehead on Natsuki's.

"Let's get back inside. There are medicines on your nightstand. They'll get rid of the headache." Natsuki carried Shizuru back to bed. She gave the pills which the woman gladly took.

"Remind me not to drink again." Shizuru massaged her forehead with evident annoyance.

"I did but you never listened." Natsuki said with mirth.

"No skin to skin contact with Margareth." Shizuru said out of nowhere, giving Natsuki a glare.

"Noted." Natsuki agreed with amusement. How can Shizuru change the subject of their conversation just like that?

"I will try to video call you every weekend but you may call me anytime you want if needed." Shizuru added seriously.

"House rules. Okay, I get it. Noted." Natsuki smiled at Shizuru.

"We will travel overseas together whenever our schedule permits." Shizuru added at the top of her head. "You will send me your scheduled games. No kissing games. No exchanging nude pictures with other girls or boys."

At that point, Natsuki laughed. "Oh my god. How could you even think about that?"

"Whatever. No cheating on me." Shizuru pouted.

"That will never happen, Shizuru." Natsuki re-assured her.

"And no more secrets." Shizuru looked into emerald orbs.

"No more secrets from this day onwards." Natsuki re-affirmed before giving Shizuru's forehead a lingering kiss.

-THE END-

Xxx

Hello dear readers!

Not the 'and they live happily ever after' ending you expected, right? Sorry, I cannot marry them off right away. They are still high schoolers remember? Let me know your thoughts. Unfortunately, my schedule no longer permits me to write another story. Thank you for joining me until the end. Your immense patience is commendable.


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